Twitter
Facebook
We’re all happy to be healthy and fit and hope to never have to endure a hospital stay. But, tragedy usually strikes unexpectedly, and some of our readers may have experienced a visit to Landstuhl Regional Medical Center, the largest U.S. hospital outside the United States that opened in 1953.
The dedicated medical team at LRMC includes a joint mix of Army, Air Force, Navy Reserve physicians, host-nation clinicians, and U.S. civilian specialists and serves over 205,000 beneficiaries across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. As the primary evacuation and treatment hub, LRMC has cared for more than 100,000 wounded warriors since 2001. In addition, over 56,000 American babies have been delivered in Landstuhl since 1953.
Services include, but are not limited to, trauma and evacuation care, hematology and oncology. In addition, Critical Care Air Transport Teams are equipped to escort critically injured patients from forward operating units or onward to major military medical center in the United States.
LRMC is scheduled to be replaced by the new Rhine Ordnance Barracks Medical Center in Weilerbach and expected to open in January 2029 with 67 departments and up to 2,500 personnel.
Life is full of surprises, and it could just happen that you might find yourself delivered to a German hospital for a number of (unexpected) reasons. Rest assured, here you will find the same high quality and professionalism along with heartfelt care.
Vivianus
Today’s story is about a passionate nurse named Vivien. This name is derived from the Latin name Vivianus, which stems from the word “vivus,” meaning “alive” or “lively.” It also carries connotations of vitality and energy with a large dose of passion. So, let’s meet Vivien who truly lives up to her name!
Vivien Laaks at Herzzentrum Duisburg (heart center) has been working in nursing for ten years. She completed her training from 2015 to 2018 and has been a registered nurse for seven years. She worked in cardiac surgery for six years and spent one year working in outpatient respiratory care. Coming from a family where both parents worked in geriatric care, she grew up accustomed to rotating shifts, weekend and holiday work. So her career choice came almost naturally. During a school internship she helped out at a maternity ward and convinced herself that she very much enjoyed working in nursing.
After her high school graduation (Abitur in Germany), she decided against university, and for pragmatic reasons, chose to pursue a career with a future. Therefore, she opted for a nursing apprenticeship and has never regretted her decision, not even for the length of a heartbeat.
Journey to recovery
There is one reason to opt for a job that requires taking care of people in need day in, day out, and that is the competitive salary. Compensation could be better since in caregiving you have to be flexible and adapt to eventualities, and this can be a very long path until retirement.
More importantly though, this profession requires passion and patience. Vivien enjoys working in cardiac surgery and finds fulfillment in supporting and motivating patients after major operations, so that they can get back on their feet as quickly as possible. She is supportive in accompanying them on their journey to recovery and enjoys interacting with patients and colleagues. Every now and then, there are “difficult” patients, but in her department the stay is limited to a short period of time, and if problems do arise, issues can be discussed with colleagues.
Never stop learning and exploring
In nursing there are countless opportunities to continue education and training and nurses can specialize in particular areas. Vivien completed further training as a clinical instructor and is responsible for the trainees and new employees. She supervises the trainees and evaluates their performance, listens to their problems and occasionally conducts assessments. She enjoys supervising, for example VZ measurements, postoperative mobilization, wound care and strives to give her best, and she underlines that the trainees will be her future colleagues. In addition, she completed further training as a wound specialist and is required to complete courses in clinical training. Next year she will specialize in heart failure but is also excited to see where her career path may lead her.
International dedication
Since 2022 Germany has experienced a sharp increase in foreign nationals pursuing and working in medical fields including doctors, nurses and geriatric caregivers. These individuals include second or even third generation descendants of former immigrants, people who sought refuge during the great immigration wave 2015 and 2016, or a great number of others who are hired from Bosnia-Herzegovina, the Philippines, India, Tunisia and Vietnam. Currently, the percentage of foreign caregivers is about 21,7 percent in geriatric care and 16 percent to 23 percent in nursing, depending on the region.
Vivien enjoys working with colleagues with “foreign roots” and her multicultural team functions well. Individuals from a multitude of countries complement each other in many ways, especially linguistically (interpreting). Sometimes it can be challenging, as misunderstandings can arise due to language barriers, but helping each other out can smooth the waves. She values all of her colleagues and appreciates the international atmosphere.
Compassion for patients and caregivers
Speaking straight from the heart, Vivien would like to see more recognition for the nursing profession. More appreciation from the public (there are rare cases of ambulance or emergency room staff being insulted or even attacked), but especially from politicians. The nursing profession is so diverse and often devalued as a “slap in the face.” Moreover, it’s frustrating when more and more obstacles are placed in one’s way. For example, rising time-consuming bureaucracy or compulsory membership in the German nursing association. Increasingly, competent colleagues are turning their backs on the profession because they can no longer cope with an overwhelming workload. She would like the problems and concerns of nurses to be taken more seriously, as each and every one started their career with compassion for the patients, rather than shuffling paperwork at a desk or having to justify the profession to the nursing association.
Should you ever be in need of medical care, be sure to show your appreciation to the nurses and caregivers. It’s not easy for Vivien, and the estimated 30 million nurses around the globe, to pull on a scrub every day (or night) and still keep smiling!
