“Why I Chose Nursing” – Jolanta’s Story at Mayo Hospice

My name is Jolanta, and I’m originally from Poland. I trained there and worked in a hospital theatre ward. Later, I moved to Germany and worked as a public health nurse. Eventually, I came to Ireland, where I mostly worked in nursing homes, and now, I’m lucky to be part of Mayo Hospice.

I’ve been working here for just over a year. I celebrated my first anniversary in April.

Why I Chose Palliative Care

While working in nursing homes, I noticed that the last part of life is still surrounded by fear. People are afraid to talk about death and dying. Even among nurses, palliative medications can be intimidating.

I saw how important it is to talk about end-of-life care, and to prepare. There’s still a stigma around it. Care plans were something nobody wanted to deal with, because they’re upsetting, but when that conversation doesn’t happen, families are left unprepared. They don’t know what their loved ones would have wanted.

So I started encouraging my colleagues, and myself, to have those difficult conversations. It’s not easy, but it’s necessary. That was a turning point for me. I knew I wanted to focus on palliative care and the end of life.

That’s when I discovered the CARU programme, which we implemented in my previous workplace. Toward the end of my time there, a community palliative nurse visited regularly. She encouraged me to apply to the Mayo Hospice, and I’ll be forever grateful she did.

Why I Became a Nurse

I used to say I always wanted to be a nurse… but that’s not quite true. At first, I wanted to be a doctor, to help people heal. But eventually I realised I didn’t want to be a doctor. I wanted to be a nurse.

Nurses have more contact with people. You really get to know them. That connection matters to me. I’ve always wanted to work with people in a way that feels real and human. That’s why I chose nursing.

The Importance of Teamwork

Nursing is a difficult job, and you need good people around you. Teamwork is absolutely essential. This is not a job you can do alone.

In the past, I had moments where I wondered if I’d chosen the wrong career. But I didn’t. I just wasn’t in the right place.

Now, here at the hospice, I feel supported. I love being here. I feel blessed and privileged to work with people at the very end of life. It’s such a special time.

I’m so grateful for my colleagues. They are open-hearted, loving people. There’s no judgement here, we support each other, we laugh together, we tease each other, and we care deeply.

A Message for Nurses Week

As we celebrate Nurses Week, I think it’s important that we’re acknowledged. This work is incredibly hard, emotionally and physically.

Sometimes family members understand what we do. Sometimes they don’t. Some people will never fully get it. Others truly appreciate it.

But we’re not doing this for praise or recognition. We do it because we feel it. It’s who we are. It’s a calling. This is my path, my purpose.

I would encourage every nurse to be open-minded and open-hearted. Because in this work, that really matters.

I feel honoured that we can bring a little light into people’s darkest moments.

– Jolanta Palzynska (Nurse at Mayo Hospice)