Passion & Team Spirit in Nursing Care

Ms. Giehser, you have been Director of Nursing since 2009 and know your team inside out – what does a typical day in the nursing department at WPK look like and what distinguishes your team?

Gabriele Giehser: We are an inpatient hospital and the special thing about us is that all patients are mixed on one ward, regardless of their age or illness. This makes our daily routine very varied, as we work with many different specialist disciplines. We have many admissions and discharges, which means that our daily routine is very dynamic and flexible. Our nursing staff must therefore have a wide range of training and be able to adapt quickly to different situations.

What challenges are there in your daily work or that of your employees that are perhaps special to WPK and make it stand out?

Gabriele Giehser: One major challenge is the linguistic and cultural diversity of our patients. We have patients who like to speak English, but we also have patients who like to talk in their native language.

We have many employees from the relevant countries and always try to overcome language barriers. We also use technical aids such as apps for translation. Coordinating this diversity is an exciting task that our nursing staff manage brilliantly.

How do you perceive the interdisciplinary cooperation between nursing staff, doctors and other healthcare providers at the WPK?

Gabriele Giehser: The collaboration is very good and particularly important. We always strive to treat each other as equals, for example in order to guide a doctor correctly to the emerging needs of a patient. We have a relatively flat hierarchy and quick decision-making processes – I really appreciate that at WPK. Every employee, regardless of their role, is respected and valued. This is important for functioning teamwork.

What trends do you see in the care sector and how are these being used in the WPK to further increase the level of quality?

Gabriele Giehser: An important trend is the increasing specialization and academization of nursing care. We also see that technological developments, such as the use of robots for certain tasks, will increase. This can relieve the burden on nursing staff and allow them to concentrate on direct patient care, which is particularly important to us at the WPK.

Finally, do you have any tips or advice for young people considering a career in nursing?

Gabriele Giehser: Nursing is an incredibly varied and fulfilling profession. Not only do you learn a lot about medicine and nursing, but you also develop your personality. There are numerous opportunities and specializations that you can pursue.