Cornelia Schneeflock
My internship at the University Hospital Heidelberg in Germany
Job description: Nurse
Company: University Women's Clinic, obstetrics ward
Place: Heidelberg
What I did:
It wasn’t long before I was able to undertake certain tasks myself such as carrying out a cardiotocogram for monitoring the heartbeat of an unborn child or neonatal capillary blood sampling. I learned more about everything over time and during the final weeks of the internship, I was even able to take on my own rooms and carry out all tasks independently. Of course, I could always turn to my colleagues for help and advice. Challenges I faced included directing and advising mothers with breastfeeding and overcoming the language barrier in patients with a migration background. I always imagined breastfeeding a baby would be easier but I learned something there.
Why I enjoyed my internship:
I was given a very warm welcome from the team from the first day. The nursing staff were visibly striving to show me all the activities and give me a good basic grounding in obstetrics. I looked forward to each new day of work and to working with the infants and mothers. In Heidelberg, I learned things for my job but also for my life and personal development in general. After a short time, I met some nice people with whom I became friends and shared lots of experiences over these three months.
What I learned:
I learned a lot about caring for infants, women who have recently given birth, pregnant women and the birth process itself.
My greatest experience:
The highlights of my internship included the hours I spent in the delivery room. I was able to be present during both natural and caesarean births.
How I secured the internship:
During the fifth semester, I took advantage of the opportunity to complete an internship abroad. I opted for the obstetrics ward at the University Women's Clinic in Heidelberg.
What I want to do in the future:
To be honest, I can’t imagine any job better than this one.