The regiomed hospital network has been expanding since 1 january 2009. May a central nursing director. Andreas havlik was appointed for this purpose. He answered the coburger tageblatt’s questions after his first 100 days at the hospital.
Coburger tageblatt: mr. Havlik, what is the intention of establishing such a position??
Havlik: the professional group of nurses represents the largest number of employees in the clinic, they are permanently present, thus the link between all other professional groups, and naturally also closest to what is happening, i.E.: to the patients and their relatives. The decision to appoint a central care director has to do above all with far-sightedness, but also with appreciation of values. Because the profession of nursing is facing a major challenge, and without nursing, no wheel turns in the hospital.
You speak of challenge. Do we have to fear a nursing emergency?
I do not like this word. It is now used too inflationary. The fact is, there are now signs that not enough young people are choosing nursing as a career. Of course, this is in line with the general trend that we are "running out of youth". Demographic experts have long been talking about an aging population. People are living longer, there are fewer births. That’s difficult enough for society – in terms of pensions – but it’s fatal for nursing care. Medical progress is unstoppable and the need for care in inpatient and outpatient environments is increasing. This is the challenge. So we don’t have a need to know, but we do have a need to act.
What must be done?
It’s all about training, staffing and pay. On the first point, the so-called generalist training is currently being discussed. A paradigm shift. Until now, nursing education has been oriented to age groups – children, adults, the elderly – and to care institutions – hospitals, nursing homes. In the future, nursing care should be based on competencies that apply across the board. This makes nursing education even more universal, broader, more flexible, and therefore more interesting – in other words, generalist. This reform, in conjunction with the dual study programs that have been in place for several years, which combine nursing training with a bachelor’s degree, will make the training more attractive. This is the plan. As far as staffing is concerned, this must be adapted to the increased medical requirements. It helps to look beyond the borders, other countries are showing the way. Of course it costs money. This money is not available in the current hospital budgets. It is society that must be prepared to pay for this. And it is up to the politicians to formulate this boldly. Just as with the high level of remuneration, if you want state-of-the-art medicine and thus quality of life, if you expect professional and empathetic care, you have to take the value of these existential needs into account.
Why should a young person choose the profession of nursing??
Because it is the most wonderful profession in the world? It is valuable and valuable, it serves society in the truest sense of the word, it gives back incomparably much, and beyond that it is absolutely indispensable and therefore more than just a job as crisis-proof. Furthermore, there is no other profession that offers such a broad spectrum of development opportunities. Specialties range from alternative medicine, geriatrics, endoscopy, intensive care, anesthesia, oncology, surgery, emergency medicine, and more, to leadership and nursing pedagogy programs, to doctoral and post-doctoral nurses who choose either management or nursing science. What profession can offer this? We need to do more than ever to promote our profession in a positive way.
The public tends to report negatively about the nursing profession…
Hopefully that will change after today with this article (laughs). Seriously, of course our profession is demanding, strenuous, exhausting and often psychologically stressful. We know that, I see that every day. But what I also encounter on a daily basis are the wonderful and dedicated employees who work in our hospitals. And it is precisely these people who do not deserve it if nursing is written about in a predominantly negative way. I am always saddened by reports of nursing scandals and criminal nursing practices. Every single case is one too many – and affects the public image. What also bothers me is that politicians usually only mean nursing care insurance when they talk about nursing care. And if I then go on to suggest that "schlecker-women" or that some stupid bureaucrats are supposed to fill the staffing gaps in nursing, then this is a slap in the face for this profession and shows absolute cluelessness. But one should also not forget the pleasant contrast: the nurse – here synonymous with nursing, my male colleagues may forgive me – still ranks very high in society’s recognition ranking, ahead of pilots and teachers and only just behind doctors.
You are now 100 days into your new job. What does your job look like today??
My core tasks now lie in the areas of consulting, facilitation and communication. It’s no longer mainly about the operational business. For this, there are still experienced nursing managers at the individual sites. There would be no other way to manage the work at the grassroots level. Today, I am involved in committees where far-reaching decisions are made, and I am allowed to contribute my experience. Then there are projects, for example, on working hours, further training and the recruitment of new staff. My main concern is still to ensure sufficient communication. And exciting things are happening right now. The first alliance-wide certification is imminent and we are planning a new building that will set mabstabs. Uberall is the care mabgeblich involved, that’s exactly my job.