Before moving into the Bavarian state parliament, Andreas Krahl was a nurse at the Murnau accident clinic. In the corona crisis, he now shifts night shifts back to the intensive care unit.
- The corona crisis demands everything from the healthcare system and its employees.
- A politician from the Bavarian state parliament has now offered his support.
- Before working in the state parliament, Andreas Krahl works as an intensive care nurse.
- Now he has returned to his old job because of the Corona crisis.
Weilheim - Andreas Krahl hasn't been awake for long. "Good Morning. Would be reachable now, ”writes the member of the parliament of the Greens at 11.50 am via WhatsApp. He didn't sleep much. It was less than six hours ago that his shift at the district hospital in Weilheim came to an end. "The second night is always the worst," says Krahl. The 30-year-old has been working in his old job as an intensive care nurse since Friday.
Corona crisis: politicians want to support intensive care units - as nurses
When the corona crisis hit Bavaria, Krahl offered help to several clinics in his constituency Weilheim-Schongau. Before moving to the state parliament at the end of 2018, he worked four years as an intensive care giver at the accident clinic in Murnau. “And in my eyes, the problem that we create a lot of intensive care beds, but we don't have enough people to operate the equipment comes up short.” Many nurses never used a ventilator in their everyday life before the crisis. Krahl, on the other hand, has often been. "That's why I said: If you need it, here are my documents." Krahl has a lot of air during the Easter holidays. In any case, "now is the hour of the executive, less the legislative," he says.
Last Thursday the nursing service from Weilheim called him. "Can you do night duty on Friday?" Was the question. The next evening, Krahl started his first of five shifts. "It was great," says Krahl. "I can fully use my knowledge and experience." With another nurse and a student, he works in a small ward that has been converted into an intensive care unit. There is also a respiratory patient suspected of having corona. "I quickly found my way back to the old routine," says Krahl. He immediately noticed what a positive team approach there was in nursing. “It's not always the case in politics. It's often more about elbows and who has the bigger trump card. "
Use during corona crisis: situation in intensive care unit "at the limit, but still manageable"
Krahl now works every night from around 9 p.m. to 6.30 a.m. The mood in the clinic is still good, but tense. "Everyone is wondering where the journey is going." The current situation is "at the limit, but still manageable" - at least if it stays that way. His suspicion that there is a shortage of personnel right now that can operate the devices required in an intensive care unit has been confirmed. And like almost everywhere, there is also a lack of protective clothing in Weilheim. "Above all, masks and protective coats are missing," says Krahl. The clinic's own pharmacy now produces disinfectants itself.
Working as a caretaker in the corona crisis: politicians want to donate wages
Krahl agrees that nurses in Bavaria should now receive a one-time bonus of 500 euros. This is also "very positively received" by his nursing colleagues. The Green politician emphasizes, however, that the state government has thus complied with his party's demand. In addition, the measure must be expanded. Anyone who puts themselves at risk in the fight against the virus is entitled to such a bonus. "So also the rescue service and in the hospital, for example, cleaning staff, respiratory therapists and doctors," says Krahl.
He himself receives a lump sum of 450 euros for his assignments. "But it was important to me that I was insured," says Krahl. He is now thinking about donating the money.
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