A successful apprenticeship: Selma on her training period at Zollikerberg Hospital

Are there any moments that you found particularly interesting during your apprenticeship?

In the middle of my training, I had the opportunity to get to know other specialisms. At the time, I opted for long-term care and an insight into physiotherapy. I wanted to go into long-term care because I was interested in what it was like to work with the same residents again and again. It was very interesting at first as I had to learn a completely new process. However, as soon as I had internalised it, it became a bit monotonous for me personally and I was glad to be able to return to the hospital. The physiotherapy internship, on the other hand, was very exciting for me as it was something completely new. For a long time, I wasn't sure what I wanted to do after my training. I had several options that appealed to me and becoming a physiotherapist was one of them. That's why I decided in favour of this internship. I really enjoyed my time there and I learnt a lot. But towards the end, I realised that I would be better off as a healthcare specialist.

However, I am very grateful to the education department at the hospital for the opportunity to experience so many different professional fields.

What did you have the most respect for during your training and how did you deal with it?

In general, I had respect for all new and unfamiliar tasks at the beginning, as even small mistakes can have a big impact on patients. However, I always discussed everything with my vocational trainer and we practised together. I also often repeated everything we had learnt with my former co-staff member. Honesty plays a big role. I always voiced my concerns if I wasn't quite sure yet and didn't want to do the task alone. Even if it then took a little more time.

Who generally supported you during your training?

There are vocational trainers on every ward. They are usually out and about on the ward and you can get their help and ask questions at any time. But the team I work in is also very open and always helps me. So there's always someone there for me on the ward. At the beginning of my training, I was worried that I might annoy someone with my questions, so I often asked other trainees for help. But the training managers are also always available by phone or e-mail. In addition, we always had FaGe meetings, which were meetings with the respective training programme. We discussed problems or upcoming training issues there.

Which other departments and professional fields did you get to know during your apprenticeship as part of the insight and rotation internships?

In addition to the internships mentioned above, I was a guest in the kitchen, housekeeping and hotel business in my first year. The length of the internship varied depending on the location. It was exciting to see what other valuable work is done in the hospital behind the nursing and care of patients. The insight into the hospitality and housekeeping departments in particular helped me to better understand the admission and discharge process. I was also able to pay more attention to certain processes during my work afterwards, as I now knew how they work.

Did others do the same apprenticeship on the same ward as you? If so, was there an opportunity to support each other?

Depending on the department, there are two or three apprentices per training programme. In the first half of my apprenticeship, there were two of us in the first year, two in the second year and two in the third year. At the beginning of the apprenticeship, I was accompanied and introduced a lot by the third-year apprentice. Now I'm in the third year myself and do the same for the first-year apprentices. At the moment, there are three of us on the ward in all the training programmes. We often swap ideas and help each other out. In the department where I'm currently working, there's an apprentice tandem in which mainly apprentices work together. A "KoleG" (co-operative learning group) also takes place every few months. In the "KoleG", a tandem is only led by students and learners. We have to work out solutions together and keep exchanging ideas. At the end of each shift, we reflect on how we could do certain things better and what went well.

What are your plans for your professional future?

After hopefully successfully completing my training this year, I will work as a healthcare specialist on the same ward where I completed my training for about 6 months to gain even more confidence and stability in my professional life. I will then start the HF nursing programme at Zollikerberg Hospital in March.