Česky
"Since childhood, I have been drawn to a career in healthcare. After mature reflection and discussion with my mother, I abandoned the idea of studying medicine and applied to the medical school in Příbram," says Ms Skuhrovcová about the beginnings of her professional career.
"After graduating in 1968, I joined the hospital in Hořovice. My date of entry was 15 July 1968. I worked there for only a month and then the invasion broke out. I remember how an armed Russian soldier stood on every corner of Hořovice. And then how we watched the clashes in Prague, the seizure of the radio station and how we cried. At the hospital, I first joined the surgical ward, where I stayed until my maternity leave in 1977. On my return to work I joined ENT where I served for twelve years. When the hospital opened an ENT department, I transferred there. Working in that department required expertise, so I completed a two-year ARIP specialty. I worked in the ARO for twenty years. It was only four years ago that I switched to neurology," summarises Ms Skuhrovcová of her time at the hospital in Hořovice.
When asked why she has stayed with the same job for half a century, the Hořovice nurse points out that her work has never been the same, on the contrary, it has been very varied. "I have a natural energy and drive for work. I liked working in the ARO the most, even though it was very demanding. I liked the fact that in this ward we followed the patient as a whole," says Jaroslava Skuhrovcová.
Mrs. Skuhrovcová also likes to recall the changes that have taken place in the hospital over the past years. "In the early days after school, it was not so easy. Today's hospital equipment, utilities, hygiene, all of this is incomparably better than the conditions at that time. Last but not least, and in parallel with the development, there has been a rebuilding of the entire hospital, which we all admire. The new instruments, examination methods and treatment methods in all fields are world-class. It is a change for the better, but the work is more demanding and there is more of it. You have to keep learning because there is always something new."
Asked if she had any wishes or messages for her younger colleagues, Ms. Skuhrovcová says
in the future, she would like to see less nursing documentation and more time for patient care. "And a message for younger colleagues? More like a wish! That they enjoy their work and have a positive attitude towards it. To go into healthcare if they enjoy the work. If they go in with a distaste, then it's the people who are not to blame who pay the price."
The Hořovice health worker has a clear idea about the future. "I am already retired, but I still work part-time. I can't imagine quitting completely. If my health allows it, I will be here for a while," says Mrs. Skuhrovcová with a smile.
