Albany Community Hospice’s inaugural Walton Scholarship to lay foundations for career in palliative care

A student nurse dedicated to providing compassionate end-of-life care in her home city has been awarded the Albany Community Hospice’s inaugural Walton Scholarship. The graduate nursing program aims to support nurses starting their career at the Albany Community Hospice by providing specialist palliative care education and workplace mentoring. The scholarship was created to honour a generous donation from Albany’s Alma Jean Walton who left her entire estate to the Albany Community Hospice before her death. The funds left by Ms Walton will also support clinical leadership development and help existing hospice clinical staff complete their post-graduate palliative care education. Nursing student Sarah Noll was named as the scholarship’s first recipient on Thursday to mark International Nurses Day. Born and raised in Albany, Ms Noll worked as a winemaker and travelled before moving home to Albany to pursue her nursing degree through Charles Darwin University. While working full-time and studying, she has also been picking up shifts at the hospice as a patient care assistant which she said cemented her passion for palliative care. “It’s quite a unique workplace in that they foster an absolute holistic approach to the patient and their support system, their family and their friends,” she said. “I love having that patient contact and the team at the hospice are so supportive. “It’s just a lovely environment to work in. “I think it is a privilege to be able to support people at their most vulnerable time.” Like many Albany locals, Ms Noll has also experienced the importance of the hospice from the other side, while her grandmother was a patient of the service. “I appreciate the opportunity to be the first recipient of the scholarship and to be the first graduate nurse at the hospice and I hope to set a good example,” she said. Albany Community Hospice clinical hospice manager Fiona Jane said Ms Noll had demonstrated knowledge and experience as a patient care assistant while completing her registered nursing training. “Her calm and confident manner will be an asset to the palliative care team in the region,” Ms Jane said.