By 2035, 300,000 additional nursing staff will be needed, in clinics alone – but there is a lack of people who choose the profession. RTL reporter Ralf Herrmann delved into the everyday lives of nursing professionals in the report “Ralf, the Nurse”.
Many people have respect for the nursing profession. Sentences like: “I couldn’t do that” are often used. But can we really not? RTL reporter Ralf Herrmann tried it out. Because anyone can care, “you just have to have the courage,” say the nursing staff – and this is exactly what Ralf has experienced on his wards. Among other things, he gets a taste of everyday life in the children’s intensive care unit, the emergency room and the nursing school.
BRIGITTE: Why did you call this report “Ralf, the Nurse”? What should the title express?
Ralf Herrmann: The fact is that around three quarters of all nursing staff in Germany are female. We called the show “Ralf, the Nurse” that way to draw attention to exactly this. I would think it would be great – and so would the female nurses I have worked with – if more men took up this profession. If it were completely normal that the title could also be “Ralf, the nursing specialist”.
Did you have any misconceptions before attempting the experiment?
It was clear to me that the nursing profession was important, but not how important are nursing staff. They are the ones who stand at the patient’s bedside, who come in in the morning and see how they are doing. And it was also much more medical. I had imagined the job to be more nursing and assistive. I didn’t realize how much responsibility nurses have.
RTL reporter Ralf Herrmann provides support in an operating room.
© RTL
What kind of people are those who practice the nursing profession?
Nurses are people who want to help others. You have to want to deal with people and be interested in how the patient is doing on the next shift. And I think that’s really nice. At the same time, nurses also have to be self-confident, set boundaries and say where to go. It’s all wrapped up in empathy, everything is done with a big heart because that’s the only way it works.
What was an experience in the emergency room that you particularly remember?
When I arrived the doctor said I wasn’t just running. He said, ‘You’re the nurse here now. Nurse Ralf is now at work here – and my pulse was 180. That was a really great moment to receive this trust from the nursing and medical team. I was then supposed to create an access under instructions and I just thought: This can’t be true, I can’t screw this up. And then it really worked and I was allowed to do it again with the second patient. Creating an access myself and hitting the vein was a moment in which I felt really proud.
RTL reporter Ralf Herrmann is supposed to make his first entry.
© RTL
What does the job give you? Why can you say from your experience: Nursing is a great job!
It’s a nice feeling to be in a meaningful job and to be needed. I experienced this and can promote this profession with a clear conscience. He is not the “nursing horror” as he is often portrayed. Yes, it’s a demanding job and you usually have to work shifts – but it’s incredibly versatile and gives you a lot in return.
It’s not just the nurses who have to cross boundaries, but also the patients who have to allow it.
In nursing school you put yourself in the position of an older man who needs to be cared for. How was that experience?
Just having my teeth brushed was a strange feeling. Beforehand you think it wouldn’t be so bad. But everyone can try it at home. I think it’s a good approach that prospective nurses have to take on this role themselves. Because that’s the point: It’s not just the nurses or prospective nurses who have to overcome boundaries, but also the patients themselves. For example, they have to allow someone stranger to wash them, even in places that are very intimate.
The dropout rate among nursing students is high. In North Rhine-Westphalia it was 46 percent in 2023. The main reasons are psychological and physical stress and a lack of work instructions. How did you feel about these points?
In my time as a nurse, I have definitely seen that the psychological strain cannot be underestimated. But it also depends on which area you work in. In the emergency room you are confronted with many stark situations. Once a patient arrived who had been in a car accident. At that moment I felt hot and cold at the same time. These are moments when you have to be strong as a caregiver. You never know: what will happen next?
How hard is it to switch off after a shift? What thoughts went through your head after work?
It was relatively difficult for me to switch off completely. I was lucky that all the nurses I worked with gave me great support. But my head was still rattling in the evening. But I think you can learn to deal with it. You have to show empathy in your job. That’s why you can’t think about it much in your free time. Because as I learned: Sick people cannot care for sick people. It is important for nurses to think about themselves because they need to stay healthy.
What would you say to people who are thinking about entering the nursing profession?
It’s never too late and people can put aside the image that they’re “just” a nurse. It is a responsible profession. A demanding job that I underestimated. You can be proud of being a nurse because of what you do. And it gives you a lot in return. You are also confronted with things outside your comfort zone. Definitely. But I think that’s good. You do something meaningful, you are needed and you do something good for others. So it’s actually a dream job in that sense.
Ralf, the nurse © RTL
It took several months until “Ralf, the Nurse” was created. From preparing the filming locations to his first real experiences in nursing school and later even in the emergency room and operating room, Ralf learned more about nursing little by little. The report shows that the job of a nursing specialist or nursing specialist is a versatile one. And that the people who work in this job put a lot of heart into it. Nevertheless, the profession is rather stigmatized in our society. He is often not valued for what the nurses do. The media often focuses on negative headlines such as the shortage of skilled workers. The RTL report would like to address all of this and also show the beautiful sides of this versatile profession.
“Ralf, the Nurse” can be seen on February 8, 2024 at 8:15 p.m. on RTL – or after broadcast on RTL+.