High-quality health care in focus at the emergency department at Ahus Kongsvinger

Alexander Sjøli Nilsen works at the emergency room at Ahus Kongsvinger. The staff at the hospital do their utmost to provide high quality health care in a very busy time with major changes and a lot of information. Read the case and get an insight into the nurse's everyday life in a state of emergency.

Name: Alexander N. Sjøli Nilsen
Workplace: Kongsvinger emergency room
Job title: Nurse

Questions for you who keep the wheels going

What kind of skills / education is required in your job?

Primarily nurses and specialist nurses. But there are also positions such as ambulance personnel, auxiliary nurses, health secretaries and nursing students.

What are your core tasks?

There are many different tasks when working in an emergency room. There is a function as an emergency department coordinator, triage / mapping nurse, as well as a member of the team that accepts acutely and critically ill patients. The core task is to receive the patients who need help, coordinate and communicate interdisciplinary to get the patients mapped before they go on to the respective wards, or home.

How has your workday been in recent weeks compared to normal conditions. Give a brief explanation of what a "normal" day looks like in these corona times?

The last few weeks have been filled with an enormous amount of information and change in everyday work. A number of physical changes have been made to the hospital's operations, including an additional emergency room where low- and high-risk patients are admitted with a view to covid-19 infection. In an everyday life where there is an enormous amount of new information and a lot of changes, I must honestly admit that it affects me mentally. I have been more tired than usual and sleep more.

Why is your job important and how do you / your company contribute to keeping society going?

At the hospital, all my colleagues and I meet patients and relatives who are most likely to have the worst day of their lives. We live in a welfare state where health is central, we see this especially in these times. We welcome everyone who comes in, with acute, critical, and chronic diseases and disorders and provide high quality health care. This is a key element in our society that makes me think my job is important. Patients are helped and brought back to society, many are relieved and some die, but we strive for a respectful end. This provides security that keeps society going. This is very important.

Do you have any professional tips or advice that people should follow in these times?

Listen and respect the advice given by the government and NIPH! We should be happy that the measures that have been implemented seem to be working. It may be perceived as a distant reality what is happening in the world now, but it is not as far away as one would think. The sickest of the sick are in hospitals around the country and fighting for their lives. We owe these patients and their families so much. Show respect.

What would you say to others who are considering your career?

It is a rewarding job that requires a lot of you, but it is also very exciting. There are countless directions you can further your education in. I also ask you to think twice. Some are not meant for this profession, while others were not meant for anything else.

What is the best thing about working / living in the Kongsvinger region?

Less crowded than Oslo.

Read more similar cases in the series "We keep the wheels turning" where the goal is to highlight exciting and relevant jobs in the Kongsvinger region that have a particularly important task in a demanding time.