Česky
Hořovice Hospital has its first finalist in the Nurse of the Year competition. She has been caring for the sick for 22 years
Andrea Růžičková has devoted more than half of her life to her work in the Hořovice hospital. Nowadays, the head nurse of the orthopaedics department there has been proving for twenty-two years that some connections are very strong. "I simply enjoy my work. Patients in our hospital are very satisfied. They write to us, thank us, and some even come back to see us after a year. This pleases us and motivates us to continue our work," says the thirty-nine-year-old woman from Stašov, a village near Zdice in the Beroun region.
Andrea Růžičková became the first candidate for the Hořovice hospital in the history of the Nurse of the Year competition. The expert committee selected her for the three-person final of the 17th edition. The committee certainly appreciated the fact that she manages the organisation of the work of the department, which, among other patients, treats over 800 patients with hip or knee replacements every year.
How did you get into the competition?
Blanka Červenková, the head nurse of the hospital in Hořovice, entered me . She came up with the idea that it would be good to nominate some of our nurses for the competition and I should be one of them. I didn't really want to do it, I'm not the competitive type and I don't like to show myself anywhere, but on the other hand I was pleased to have such trust. I finally signed the application form.
Why?
Because I didn't think I could get picked. Now I'm embarrassed.
What does it mean to you to be a finalist in the Direct Care Nursing category?
I already appreciate our head nurse nominating me. But right now, it's very stressful for me. I have to give interviews and I've been through a medallion shoot. It took all day, they filmed me at work. It's something new, and I'm a little scared of the main social evening. The life of a TV star would definitely not be for me.
Is there anything you can compare it to?
Of course, I know it's not really a big deal. It's a completely different kind of stress at work when we're rescuing someone. When it's a life, it's a different adrenaline rush. But I don't like to show my face, and it's an invasion of my privacy.
How does your neighborhood feel about being in the competition?
People's reactions vary. Those who have known me for a long time take it well. Others, you can see that they think I'm so full of it, that I want to win something. It's not a prize... I'm quite surprised, it's a kind of school of life. I thought that in 20 years of practice nothing would surprise me, but this gave me pause. Some people ask me strange questions. Maybe it's a little envy.
If you've made it to the finals, do you want to win?
I still don't have it in me, but the people around me want it. When the chief says I should win, it makes me even more nervous. It's not a big deal, whoever wins, they deserve it for their work. Just the fact that we are going to the final night is a victory for the whole team of nurses, doctors and paramedics in Horovice and a thank you for our work.
What do your fellow doctors have to say about your success?
They support me, even if they sometimes tease me. I heard they've already booked tickets for the ceremony. I'm sure they're looking forward to it. They're glad something's happening.
You say you're not competitive, but I don't think that's true of your 13-year-old son, whom you accompany to the championship tennis matches.
I wonder who he gets it from. I used to play sports too, but competing didn't do me any good. I think my husband is the same way, but my son has the desire to win.
What sport did you play?
I did sports gymnastics in Zdice all through primary school.
What did your family say about your nomination for the competition?
In the beginning, I didn't even tell anyone that I had applied. When I saw the application form and the sections for foreign language, participation in internships and so on, I thought I would have blank boxes and they couldn't select me. I took it as a formality. My elder son is about to graduate and he commented on his progress to the final by saying that they appreciated how honest I was. The younger one tells me that I'm his smart mommy. My husband is keeping his fingers crossed for me and experiencing how nervous I am about the evening, which will take place on 28 March at the Karlin Theatre.
So you're not looking forward to the ceremony?
I'm looking forward to it, but I'm also scared. There will be well-known personalities there, and I'm expecting answers to various questions.
Maybe one of them will be how much the Czech healthcare system has changed in the years you've been working in it, from a nurse's point of view.
A lot. We have much better tools and equipment. We work in a beautiful environment. The hospital in Hořovice is really very nice, for the patients and for us. And most importantly, the quality of nursing care has improved, and I think the patients feel it too.
Has it also reduced stress?
I wouldn't say so, but when I started here in surgery I was in charge of 35 patients and I was on my own. Sometimes there wasn't even an orderly there. The care was like that, we couldn't afford that now. There wasn't as much paperwork and paperwork, but the facilities are better now. We have reclining beds, for example.
How did you get from the surgery in Hořovice to the orthopaedics department?
After my maternity leave I was looking for something with morning services and I started working in the orthopaedics department as an intake nurse. It's not that much of a change, it's an offshoot of surgery. It's a surgical specialty. The fact that I have been in Hořovice for 22 years shows that I am a person who does not like change.
You talked about improved patient care. Which new devices can they use in the future?
We have been promised new motorized splints, as the old ones are reaching the end of their service life. These are devices designed for passive rehabilitation after total knee arthroplasties. They help patients stretch and flex them. In this context, we wanted and got our own rehabilitation nurse in the department. We will also get a new ECG to help us in the recovery room. We are trying to keep hospital stays as short as possible so that people can return to normal life as soon as possible. We are succeeding in this, because ten years ago the length of stay in hospital after total endoprostheses was 14 days and today it is only half that.
What goals do you set for yourself as the leader of a team of almost 20 people?
I would like the composition of this team to stabilise and we would like to be able to retain quality staff.
What appeals to you most about this job?
I simply enjoy it. What pleases us most are the compliments from patients who are very satisfied here. They write to us, thank us and some even come back to see us after a year. This pleases us and motivates us to continue our work.
How do you spend your free time?
I have very little time for hobbies. My son's tennis in Sparta in Prague keeps our whole family busy. When I have a moment to myself, it's rare. I'm glad when my husband and I can go to the cinema, the theatre or skiing.
Profile
Andrea Růžičková
The head nurse of the orthopaedic department has been working in Hořovice for 22 years. She is married and has two sons. Her hobbies include going to the theatre and reading. "Andrea is extremely hardworking and reliable. She also receives praise from her patients, who especially appreciate her empathy, positive attitude, kindness and smile," says Blanka Červenková, the head nurse of the Hořovice hospital.
Jaroslav Pešice, editor of MF DNES
