On 28.08.2024, Berlin State Secretary for Health and Care Ellen Haußdörfer and Marzahn-Hellersdorf District Councillor for Youth, Family and Health Gordon Lemm paid a visit to ASH Berlin. They were particularly interested in learning about the innovative teaching methods in the simulation and skills labs of the university's nursing degree program. Prof. Dr. Katja Boguth, head of the nursing degree course, Prof. Dr. Uwe Bettig, Dean of the Faculty of Health, Education and Training, Theresa Forbrig, research assistant and nursing students led the day.
Ellen Haußdörfer emphasized the importance of practical relevance: "Nothing trains you better for practice than practice." Realistic settings are a very valuable preparation for future positions and therefore also play a major role in the discussion about skilled workers. "I have the inner hope and prognosis that such practical starting points will show how you can feel comfortable in your job for a long time to come."
Referring to the shortage of skilled workers, Haußdörfer also pointed out that a trend towards part-time work is also evident in healthcare professions: "This means that we have to expand our training capacities in order to provide the same service as before. It is important to make use of synergies."
Prospects for academic nursing training
The meeting was also used to discuss the development and prospects of the nursing degree course. Since the Nursing Studies Strengthening Act came into force on January 1, 2024, students receive a monthly salary for the entire duration of their studies, which is based on that of vocational training. According to Katja Boguth, the number of applications has more than doubled since then. "However, one important challenge remains," says Boguth. "Academic nurses are simply still an unknown form in Germany, a profession that doesn't even exist yet. Politicians are also called upon to consider academic nursing in legislation so that institutions, for example, can then define these roles."
Theresa Forbrig explains the skills that academic nurses bring with them: "Critical thinking, clinical decision-making, problem-solving skills - to be seen in the individual areas: Where is there a need for further development here? What needs to be changed? And are these nursing interventions evidence-based? What benefits do they bring to our area?" Forbrig also emphasized that the ability to research and prepare studies contributes greatly to improving the quality of nursing and care. Academic nursing staff anchor this type of quality development in practice and not just at management level or in quality management. "Numerous studies show that the outcome, the benefit for patients, is still much better," adds Uwe Bettig.
The university is also planning to expand its range of further education courses in the field of nursing and health. For example, in the area of school health nursing, for which there is currently no training location in Berlin. Programs in the field of community health nursing are also conceivable in order to strengthen nursing care in municipalities and communities. The district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf could be a potential practice operating partner here; the establishment of health kiosks is also conceivable. Haußdörfer emphasizes: "We as the state of Berlin have clearly stated that we need health kiosks."
The Department of Health, Education and Training - and the transfer to the district of Marzahn-Hellersdorf
"Our biggest impact in the district is, of course, the specialists - you often meet students from the university at the Unfallkrankenhaus Berlin (UKB), for example," says Uwe Bettig. "We also cooperate with the Marzahn-Hellersdorf business community, for example currently on the topic of security of supply despite changing working habits." Ensuring the provision of care remains of central importance in general, especially in view of the growing need for care due to the ageing population. Berlin is particularly affected here, as the number of one-person households in the city is above average. Bettig comments: "There is an urgent need for new forms of care that are not yet adequately covered by law. Our university contributes to this by providing advice and support in developing new solutions in the early stages of the legislative process."
The start-up center, funded by the BMWK's EXIST program and currently located on the UKB campus, is also important. The center places a special focus on start-ups by women. Uwe Bettig: "Very exciting things are being created here, such as projects on gender-sensitive care or the establishment of an outpatient care service for Russian-speaking people. There are gaps in the healthcare system that need to be addressed first - and then there are great successes." As the funding expires at the end of the year, they are currently looking for ways to receive support, for example from the district or the state.
The health policy challenges facing the district and how the university can contribute to solving them were also discussed. Lemm: "We have seen, not least during the pandemic, how important this is, where certain basic care tasks can no longer be guaranteed without further ado and that we also have to break new ground here." The university can offer a lot for the district in terms of research, according to Bettig. "Questions from the field are always very welcome - for example in the area of nursing or medical infrastructure. A lot is already happening in this area together with our practice partners."
Boguth also advocated the provision of internships for students in the public health service, particularly at district level. According to Lemm, this could open up opportunities from next year.
The visit to ASH Berlin by the State Secretary for Health and Care, Ellen Haußdörfer, and District Councillor Gordon Lemm highlighted the importance of practical training for the nursing professions. The discussions emphasized how important it is to adapt academic training to the real needs of the healthcare sector and at the same time create a political framework that supports the deployment of these professionals. Close cooperation between educational institutions, practice partners and political decision-makers will play a key role in securing healthcare provision in the long term and meeting the challenges of demographic change.