The next generation of palliative care
Each year, Mary Potter Hospice awards scholarships to Māori and Pacific nursing students with an interest in palliative care, supporting their final year of study and providing valuable clinical experience with our team.
This year, we’re delighted to introduce Māori Scholarship recipient Tammy Ngatuere-Peckston, whose passion for caring for people and her community shines through in her story.
Kia ora,
My name is Tammy Ngatuere-Peckston, and I am a third-year Māori nursing student currently completing my final year of study. In November, I will sit my State Final Assessment as I work towards becoming a Registered Nurse.
I am passionate about palliative and end-of-life care and committed to providing culturally safe, compassionate, and whānau-centred nursing care to the communities I serve.
I am a proud mother of five children, aged 15, forever 5, 6, 5, and 3. My journey into nursing was inspired by personal experiences caring for one of my children.
Through this experience, I came to understand the importance of empathy, advocacy, and holistic care. It was during this time that my passion for caring for people during vulnerable moments in their lives began to grow.
“My passion for caring for people during vulnerable moments in their lives began to grow.”
Born and raised in the Wairarapa, I have strong connections to my iwi, whānau, and community.
One of my goals in becoming a Registered Nurse is to return home and contribute to improving health outcomes for Māori while providing support and care to my people.
I am currently completing a nine-week clinical placement at Mary Potter Hospice in Newtown, which began in late July and will conclude in late September.
This placement has further strengthened my passion for palliative care and has provided invaluable opportunities to learn from experienced nurses, work alongside multidisciplinary teams, and support patients and whānau through their end-of-life journey.
The values that guide my practice
As a Māori student nurse, Aroha, Manaakitanga, Kaitiakitanga, Mana, and Rangatiratanga are core values that guide my practice every day.
Aroha allows me to care for others with compassion, kindness, and empathy.
Manaakitanga encourages me to show respect, support, and care for patients, whānau, and colleagues.
Kaitiakitanga reminds me of my responsibility to advocate for and protect the wellbeing of those in my care.
Mana guides me to uphold the dignity, identity, and worth of every person.
Rangatiratanga supports self-determination and empowers patients and whānau to make informed decisions about their care.
These values are at the heart of my nursing practice and shape the nurse I aspire to become.
Reflection
My placement at Mary Potter Hospice has been both challenging and rewarding. It has given me a deeper appreciation for the importance of holistic, compassionate, and culturally responsive care.
Supporting patients and their whānau during some of life’s most difficult moments has reinforced why I chose nursing and strengthened my passion for palliative care.
“I have learned that nursing is not only about providing physical care but also about supporting emotional, spiritual, and cultural needs.”
Throughout this placement, I have seen the impact that listening, presence, and genuine compassion can have on patients and families.
Being able to walk alongside patients and whānau during their end-of-life journey is both a privilege and a responsibility that I hold with great respect.
As I prepare to complete my nursing degree and sit my State Final Assessment, I feel grateful for the experiences that have shaped me.
My personal experiences, my upbringing in the Wairarapa, my role as a mother, and my learning journey at Mary Potter Hospice have all contributed to the nurse I am becoming. I look forward to continuing my nursing journey, returning to serve my iwi and whānau, and making a positive difference in the lives of those entrusted to my care.
“He aha te mea nui o te ao?
He tangata, he tangata, he tangata.”
What is the most important thing in the world?
It is people, it is people, it is people.