"I was just eight years old when I decided I wanted to be a nurse." Of course, that’s perfectly understandable considering her father was a family physician in private practice and her mother is a registered nurse. "As I grew older, I considered becoming a physician," she adds. "When I wasn’t sure I could balance family life with physician life, my father suggested I consider nursing. As a nurse practitioner specializing in palliative care, Sedra works alongside several other disciplines, including specialists and therapists, in an effort to improve quality of life and decrease suffering for people dealing with life-threatening illnesses or complex chronic diseases. "I chose to practice at Beacon because my husband works here, and I’ve seen first-hand how well Beacon not only takes care of their patients, but also their providers." Sedra’s philosophy of care is simple: treat patients the way you would want to be treated if the tables were turned. "I strive to personally get to know each of my patients and their families so we can work together to achieve their health goals," she says. "I want my patients to know that I will be here for them on the good and not so good days and that we are a team, working together to improve their health and well-being." In her own words…
Who is or was the most influential person/role model in your life? My mom – she taught me how to persevere, to grin and bear it and – most of all – to enjoy the journey. What was your first job growing up? What do you remember most about it? My first official job was cleaning my dad’s office. I would go each week to clean and my mom would inspect my work when I finished. What is your favorite food? Popcorn – you can’t beat a bowl of the buttery, salty goodness! Plus, I never met a flavored popcorn that I didn’t like. In addition to medicine, what are you passionate about? What are your hobbies, interests? I really enjoy digital photography as well as trying new recipes and baking. We have a 130lb one-year-old Newfoundland. What is something most people don’t know about you? I can play the flute.
