Hospital workers also suffer from extreme temperatures, especially in older buildings. Because of cleanliness, fans are often forbidden – so is ice cream.
in short needed
- Especially in the old hospital buildings, the nursing staff is suffering from the heat at this time.
- According to the union, employers are often aware of this.
- They distribute cold water and even ice cream to their employees and relax the rules.
“Nursing staff is currently suffering from the heat,” several hospital workers explain to Nau.ch. Warm protective clothing, old hospital buildings, overheating equipment and strict hygiene rules are currently making the health sector work harder than ever.
“It’s always really bad in the summer,” confirms Meret Schindler from the Bern section of the VPOD union. Because: “The regulations say, for example, that you have to close the windows when you change a strip. Fans are also partly prohibited because of cleanliness.”
The last few days have not been so hot during the two years of the pandemic. “The burden is still high due to corona. Otherwise it was usually quiet during the summer holidays, » explains Schindler.
Poorly insulated buildings become heat traps
Old, poorly insulated hospital buildings in particular pose a challenge to healthcare workers in the summer. For example, in Bern’s Inselspital, as explained upon request: “The high-rise bed building built in 1970 is no longer up to date in terms of building insulation. Therefore, the southern front particularly exposed to the sun is quite It can be quite hot.»
At the moment, however, the situation is still acceptable, one believes. At least in the more modern parts of the hospital, the heat is bearable, as extreme weather conditions can be better compensated for.
The recently renovated Zurich City Hospital is setting a fine example. The maximum temperature never exceeds 28 degrees on hot days, it says upon request. In the newly renovated tower, the green south façade also protects against high temperatures.
Hospitals Distribute Cold Water — And Even Ice Cream
In addition to investing in infrastructure, hospitals are looking to make the heat more bearable for their staff, among other measures. “Each of the clinics has its own ventilation concept,” explains Claude Kaufmann, media spokesman for the Hirslanden Group, upon request. “Also, for example, mineral water and sometimes ice cream are also distributed to the employees.”
When it’s hot out, the dress code at Hirslanden clinics can also be adjusted so that light T-shirts, for example, are also allowed. “Various clinics also use ventilators. These are regularly serviced and thoroughly cleaned,” Kaufman continues.
The Inselspital also provides cold water free of charge to the staff. In addition, portable fans are used at high temperatures where sanitary regulations permit. This is not the case at InselSpital in high-risk departments, operating rooms, storage rooms for sterile materials, and rooms with patients at risk of infection or isolated.
Are you suffering from heat at your workplace?
71%
Yes, it is very hot!
1
Yes, it is very hot!
29%
No, thanks for the air conditioning!
2
No, thanks for the air conditioning!
“Employers are already more aware of the problem than ever before,” Schindler says. She also advises employees to take care of themselves and stay hydrated and take breaks if necessary. “But it’s not comparable to working on a construction site, where it’s 40 degrees under the helmet.”
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