A shortage of skilled workers is a foreign word in the Weilheim and Schongau clinics.
More than 600 nurses are employed there and specialize in a wide variety of areas, such as aroma care.
District
- The Weilheim and Schongau clinics have long known that scents and aromas can activate the self-healing powers of patients. That is why aroma care has been used in the wards of the Krankenhaus GmbH for more than 20 years. The nursing staff are trained in the use of essential oils in annual training courses. “The courses are also very popular among our employees and they are booked up quickly,” says Nursing Manager Sandra Buchner.
The use of the fragrances can increase the patient's well-being and strengthen their defenses.
To do this, the oils are applied to the patient's skin or given to smell.
"Before doing this, we clarify whether there are any possible allergies to the ingredients," says Buchner.
The hospital rooms can smell of lavender, bergamot or tangerine.
"Both our patients and our employees like that."
Patients with dementia can benefit from aromatic oils
For patients with dementia, aroma care can help regulate the daily routine.
"In the morning we give the patient a refreshing scent, for example lemon or tangerine," explains the nursing manager.
“In the evening, on the other hand, the aroma of lavender helps to calm you down.” When used daily, the smells serve as a memory aid for the day and night rhythm.
As a rule, the fragrances are administered twice a day, but the application is individually tailored to the respective patient.
“If a patient wants to enjoy the aromas several times a day, that's no problem.” Aroma care is a service provided by Krankenhaus GmbH and is free of charge for patients.
Nursing in intensive medicine
In addition to training in aroma care, nursing staff at the two clinics can also specialize in many other areas. This includes care in intensive care medicine. Rick Breunig, Head of Intensive Care Nursing at the Schongau Clinic, says: “Our nurses are highly motivated.” The average age of the nursing team on the ward is just in their mid-twenties. Breunig attributes this to the fact that attempts are made to respond as well as possible to the personal sensitivities of each individual employee. "In addition, our nurses receive individual support," says the 31-year-old. "We try to work out the strengths and interests of the forces as part of the eight-week training period." The aim is always to provide the best possible care for the patient. Satisfied employees are the prerequisite for this.
Anne Ertel, Nursing Director of the Weilheim and Schongau clinics, is proud of the many advanced training opportunities that employees at the Weilheim and Schongau hospitals can take advantage of.
“We clearly stand out from the care situation in Germany,” she says.
As early as 2018, the Krankenhaus GmbH recognized that there was a nursing emergency and, as a consequence, hired many new staff.
"We are therefore in good shape even after a year and a half of the pandemic," says the nursing director.
For two years now, the Krankenhaus GmbH has also been cooperating with the Klinikum rechts der Isar of the Technical University of Munich.
As part of the training, the nursing students are also sent to Munich.
“They benefit from this both professionally and medically,” says Ertel.
Great interest in maintenance on the part of the management
With the managing director of the two clinics in Weilheim and Schongau, Thomas Lippmann, and his deputy Claus Rauschmeier, according to Ertel, all employees have the right contacts and supporters when it comes to care.
“Because both have a great interest in care,” she says.
Those interested can find authentic excerpts from everyday hospital life on the hospital GmbH's social media accounts.
Situation photos and videos from both clinics are regularly posted on Facebook, Instagram and Youtube.
