«I have never regretted my decision to work in healthcare.»

10 years ago, you completed an education as a Certified Nurse (Advanced Diploma of Higher Education). Today you work as a director of care at Rosenklinik. Would you have expected to be working in this role one day?

Fabienne Gisler: Definitely not. Although I completed a medical education as a veterinary practice assistant, I never thought that I would start another three-year education again at the age of 24. It was thus not my ultimate ambition to one day work as a director of care. However, after my second degree, it quickly became clear that I had a passion for leading. As a result, one thing led to another until I eventually took up the position of director of care at Rosenklinik.

What inspired you to leave veterinary medicine and switch to human medicine?

I was fascinated by the wide range of professional opportunities offered in the field of human medicine. In nursing, one never stands still: you can continue to pursue further qualifications, specialise, complete postgraduate diplomas, a Bachelor's or Master's degree, switch to management level, become an apprentice trainer and much more. This range appealed to me personally.

What is the most challenging, but also the most rewarding thing about being a nurse? Do you still work at the bedside today?

I worked at the bedside for two years as a nursing assistant and seven years as a qualified nurse HF. Even after that, it was always important to me to be part of the team. In my current role, I also need to know what I'm talking about: this is the only way I can manage the day-to-day business and intervene and optimise it if necessary. I also keep my own skills up to date by working at the bedside.

I still value direct patient contact the most: for me, this is the most challenging but also the most rewarding aspect of the nursing profession. People are individuals and a hospital stay is an extreme situation: as a nurse, you have to be able to deal with different characters and behavioural patterns and always act empathetically and professionally. This is not only highly challenging but also very enriching for your own personal development.

Is there a story or experience that has particularly stuck with you?

The nursing profession thrives on human contact – and where there are people, exciting, touching, sad and funny stories are rarely far away. Every single nurse could probably fill an entire book with anecdotes from their day-to-day work. To be honest, I wouldn't even know where to start with the stories. In my opinion, this says a lot about how wonderful and fulfilling this profession can be. I have never regretted my decision to work in healthcare.