One function with different roles

Selina, you have been working as a physiotherapist at Zollikerberg Hospital for 8 years and have now been the group leader for physiotherapy in the surgery department for 1.5 years. What is part of your job?

I have various roles in my function and my tasks are correspondingly varied. I spend a large part of my working time in direct contact with patients - of all ages. In my role as a paediatric physiotherapist, I work with newborns, infants, children and adolescents. However, I also work as a musculoskeletal physiotherapy specialist for adult patients. In my role as a trainer, I supervise the ZHAW physiotherapy students who are completing an internship at our therapy centre. In my management role, I also perform many organisational and administrative tasks, take part in meetings and deal a lot with the topics of personnel planning, professional development, quality assurance and process optimisation.

What does a typical working day look like for you?

I spend most of my working day providing physiotherapy treatments for patients, either in the therapy centre or on all the wards in the building. Every working day also includes office and training time with the students and sessions several times a week. I usually spend my breaks in the park or in the cafeteria.

Why did you decide to become a physiotherapist? What fascinated you about it?

As a teenager, I had a very good self-awareness experience with physiotherapy, which inspired me and ultimately encouraged me to choose this career. To this day, I can say 100 per cent that being a physiotherapist is my dream job. It gives me great pleasure to accompany people on their way to their personal goals. We develop ideas and strategies together. This challenges me every time anew, puts my expertise to the test and shows me how important it is to be (or remain) creative, open and flexible.

In addition to the contact with the patients, I also really appreciate the interdisciplinary exchange, the "learning from each other" and the dynamic and atmosphere here at the hospital.

You are also part of the paediatric physiotherapy team at our therapy centre. What do you offer in physiotherapy for children and adolescents?

Yes, exactly. We have three paediatric physiotherapists in our team. Our treatment spectrum in the field of paediatrics ranges from the treatment of premature and newborn babies in neonatology and maternity wards, to accompanying families with children in infancy and toddlerhood, to physiotherapy for schoolchildren and adolescents. We use our expertise, for example, to treat developmental delays, movement asymmetries, rehabilitation and therapy following accidents, orthopaedic problems, neurological diseases or problems, acute and chronic respiratory diseases or obesity in children and adolescents. Our principle is that we want to convey the joy of movement and discovering new things.

What do you particularly like about working with children and young people?

On the one hand, it's the curiosity and enthusiasm of our young patients that fascinates me. There is so much potential in them, which we like to use to work towards our common goals - and most children know exactly what they want and bring great ideas and usually a lot of motivation to therapy. On the other hand, I like the fact that the work in paediatric physiotherapy always takes place in an interdisciplinary setting and is family-centred. Because although we treat children and young people, it only works well if all the important people in the child's environment pull together.

From what age can children benefit from your services?

We start working with premature babies and newborns, depending on the diagnosis and issue, and if necessary on the first day of life. So we cover the whole of childhood and adolescence.

What do you like to do in your free time?

As a balance to work, I like to be active in nature and enjoy being together with family and friends. I love cooking, baking and eating.

What is your tip for being in a good mood at work?

• Find the right mix of seriousness and serenity.
• Uncomplicated, committed and upbeat team colleagues.
• Take a genuine interest in the other person, because everyone has an exciting story to tell.
• The right catering during breaks.