Christmas in the hospital

In hospitals worked around the clock. 24 hours, 365 days of the year. Also on public holidays. For most people, the actual Christmas season has not yet begun. In the hospital, the situation is different.

Who works on holidays?

Approximately six weeks prior to the start of the month, the preliminary service plans for colleagues. I’m writing this post on the 14th. October. Most of the rosters are already done and in the councils of the hospitals are in operation, in order to obtain the necessary authorisations.

In the course of September, the colleagues try to agree who does which services. On most of the wards in the hospital will be alternated. This means that anyone Who has worked in the last year, for Christmas, had new year’s eve. This year it is Vice versa. It is a Situation that brings a lot of discussion, because it is not only colleagues with children will want to have at Christmas time. Since the holidays do not attract surcharges.

And as it is now, to work on the holidays?

In General, Christmas and new year’s eve, the Minimum size also applies to weekends. What it is varies from Station to Station. But that means less staff than on weekdays. Now I have until Recently worked in psychiatry, there are psychologists, occupational therapists and social service staff. The Doctors work in a minimal cast and are for emergencies only. In the somatics, there is a doctor short visits to follow-not to carry out planned operations, and investigations take place.

That sounds exhausting for the most part on their own care staff. In case of emergency it is, whether in the somatic or psychiatric. It is a time with lots of beautiful moments. On the Station I last worked, will be treated young people with personality disorders. In the past, often within families, there is much that is wrong. The Christmas season is experienced as a burden. We are just trying to show these patients that there is another way.

The Christmas eve in the hospital

Some patients in the psychiatry to in the afternoons to be with their families or get a visit. With those who remain in the hospital, organized a small Christmas party. It is jointly cooked and eaten – and tries the thoughts of the own problems distract her. A larger party, read stories, sing, and in a year even with Julklapp always takes place before the holidays.

The holiday season is in our society, a time, in the trying conflicts, to keep, to be peaceful with each other. This is also felt in the hospital. It leads however also to a pressure build-up, we notice that, in the case of the patient. Often this pressure then discharges at the end of the holidays, and there are more crisis intervention, more discussions are necessary.

Like so much the Christmas season has not only at home but also in hospital, beautiful and not so beautiful sides. It is not possible to draw a balance and to decide whether the Beautiful or the Tiring is predominant. The diversity is also at this point working in the hospital, something very Special.

Photo: private