The corona situation, RS-sick children and high sickness absence make the situation at Haukeland University Hospital very challenging.
Of the around 13,500 employees at the hospital, as many as ten percent are absent from work. Sick leave corresponds to around 1,200 employees every single day.
In a press release on Wednesday, the hospital management asked retired health professionals and students to sign up for service.
– If you are a retired health worker or student and want to work in December, sign up with us, and we may use you, says Eivind Hansen, CEO of Helse Bergen.
Want to contribute
Andreas Høvik has six months left of his studies to become an intensive care nurse. When Helse Bergen announced major challenges in treating the many patients with Covid-19 and RS virus, the Bergen resident did not mind asking.
– We received a request at the school from Helse Bergen if we could help. And you can not say no to that!
Already two weeks ago, Høgskulen på Vestlandet received an internal request in which Haukeland asked students for help.
– As an intensive student, that is what we want to work with. And then it’s nice to get started in a safe environment and be able to help when needed, says Høvik.
For two weeks, Høvik has worked in the intensive care unit at Haukeland University Hospital. He has treated corona patients and others who need intensive care.
– You notice throughout the hospital that we are under great pressure and that there is a great need for extra shifts. Especially on the weekends. You want to line up as much as you can, but you have to take care of yourself too because you have to last a while. But of course it hurts people, he says.
Now Høvik encourages others to do the same.
– I would recommend seizing that opportunity. It has been very educational and a nice entrance into the world as an intensive care nurse, says the student.
– HELPING: The master’s student thinks it’s a great opportunity to try out as an intensive care nurse. Photo: Mathias Kleiveland / TV 2
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Opens for more helpers
The University College of Western Norway, which educates nurses, sends intensive care and anesthesia nursing students to Helse Bergen and Helse Fonna to remedy an extreme situation due to a pandemic, RS virus outbreak and high sickness absence among hospital employees.
The temporary regulations that students can contribute during the pandemic apply until 1 January, but principal Georg Førland says the school is open for the ministry to extend the regulations to last even after the new year.
Førland says the students are willing to contribute, and the school will facilitate that even third-year nursing students with sufficient education can sign up to contribute to the municipal health service during the pandemic.
He says the school has close contact with the health trusts and assesses the needs on an ongoing basis.
Høvik previously has practice from the infection department. In his new role in the intensive care unit, he gets a combination of practice and paid work. Then time will tell if there will be a need for assistance in the new year or if he will finish writing the master’s thesis in the spring.
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