Mariska 10 years at KinderThuisZorg
''My ideas are listened to and I can add something.''
What makes working at KinderThuisZorg so special to you?
That we can really look closely at what the child and family need. In addition, giving care at home (or at school or a nursery) is so much more enjoyable than in a hospital. In general, a child is much more relaxed at home. You dive into the kitchenette or race track first to connect with the child. The favorite toy is shown or all the drawings are brought out. Then, when you already have some confidence, you can get started on the act you came for. We can take the time the child needs and also have knowledge and tools available to really distract the child well. It's so nice when that works well.
It's also great to be out and about. In the car listening to music or talking on the phone with a colleague. Just thinking about a situation and recharging yourself for the next moment of care. The freedom this gives is really a big plus.
For myself, working at KinderThuisZorg is so special because I really get to think along in the care but also in the processes around it. My ideas are listened to and I can add something. That is something that makes me start and end almost every working day with energy!
What's the funniest thing you've experienced?
The jokes that kids make, because of course scaring or fooling the nurse is the funniest thing. So I like to play along with that. But also sending funny pictures or emails with colleagues, and on April 1 there is always something fun to share. This is how we keep in touch with colleagues, even though we don't see each other 'on the shop floor' on a daily or weekly basis.
What's the saddest thing you've experienced?
Of course there have been some sad moments. When it becomes clear that a child cannot get better, it is horrible to hear. Especially if you have been involved with the family for a long time. The care in this phase is therefore extra important and we want to do it well. When a child actually dies, it is very sad. I won't soon forget the crying of a mother when her daughter died.
What important knowledge and experience do you take away from these 10 years?
That it is important to always be open to the other person. Listen well to a family and keep asking questions. Sometimes you have to put yourself in the other person's situation to understand certain choices. These are not always my choices, but that does not mean they were not good choices. Talking about it is essential to understand each other well. Only then can you give the best care.
When is a day's work successful for you?
When children still wave you off with a smile, despite the fact that I came to do an annoying act. Then I was able to conclude the care well and we are welcome again next time. When I then drive home again, preferably in the sunshine, it is almost always with a smile.
Look back to when you started here. Who were you as a person then and who are you now?
Of course I have grown in my profession as a pediatric nurse. I have learned a lot. Purely in the medical field, but also in all areas around it. At home, the social aspect and safety, among other things, are also very important. Often also much more visible than in the hospital. So we have an eye for all these child life domains and thus the whole picture around child and family, not just the 'sick' part.
I also learned that I can stand up for myself as a professional. I am a humble person, who does not immediately stand in front. Therefore, I find it very exciting, but also a great honor to be interviewed for this opportunity.
I have also become a mother of two sons, ages 5 and 7. That is why I sometimes sympathize more intensely with a family when it touches on my own situation. And I am extra grateful when I can give them a big hug at home.
What are the biggest changes you've experienced in healthcare recently?
Pediatric nurses have really started to stand up for their profession. The care has become much more professional. They have taken their own direction and experienced beautiful developments. Very cool that a professional group manages to pull that off.
What has made you loyal to KinderThuisZorg year after year?
A nice and flexible employer, where I can show the best of myself. In addition, caring for children at home, school,
nursery and sometimes even at a vacation address or in front of an amusement park. That variety is so much fun!
How do you see yourself in 10 years?
I hope to still be at KinderThuisZorg. For now, I am very happy with where I am now. As a pediatric nurse who drives the routes and is therefore out and about. Also as care and planning coordinator, in a working group around the file and in the medication committee. So for now I have plenty of challenges there that I can sink my teeth into. And who knows what the future will bring!
What else should we know about you?
In my free time, I like to make music. I sing in a band and close harmony. I also play guitar and double bass. That also gives me a lot of energy and I enjoy it very much! I sometimes combine that with my work by singing a song for a child if the situation calls for it. I once sang a three-year-old boy to sleep while he was receiving antibiotics through an IV. Who knows, someday I might also go out with my double bass to do a route;)
