Leise Hände, die den ganzen Tag retten, und ein Dach, auf dem sie endlich still sein darf.
The story
Maria sits on the narrow bench, her legs slightly apart. Her shirt falls from her shoulders, the wind brushes over the warm skin. Her fingers rest on the wood, her toes touch the floor. Behind her, the sun leans through between two skyscrapers and paints golden stripes across the wooden floor.
The setting
Rooftop terrace, six stories high, wooden planks and white railing, behind it stone and glass of the city buildings, soft light of the golden hour, slight breeze from the southwest.
Who she is
Die Intensivschwester
Maria is 27, Filipino-German, and works in the intensive care unit of a large city hospital. Her shifts are long and sometimes stretch into the night. When she is off duty, she takes the elevator to the roof, where no one is looking for her. Once there, she hangs her white lab coat over the railing and lets the wind drift under her open shirt. A photographer from the neighborhood happened to see her like this and asked if he could take a few pictures, with no audience, just the evening light. She said yes, because it felt right.
Her world
In German intensive care, the professional society recommends a care ratio of no more than one nurse for two critically ill patients, but in reality the average is about 2.2 cases per shift per nurse[2][3][7].
Approximately 2,500 Filipino nurses have worked in German nursing homes and hospitals since 2013, and in total about 9,400 Filipinos are employed in the local healthcare system[6].
Germany recruits Filipino nurses, among other means, through the so‑called Triple‑Win program, because the Philippines is one of the world’s leading source countries for nurses[6][9].
A short glossary
Intensive Care Unit
Ward in a hospital for patients with acute life‑threatening illnesses, monitored with highly specialised technology and round‑the‑clock care[7][8] .
DIVI Nursing Ratio 1:2
Recommendation of the professional society that an intensive care nurse per shift should care for no more than two patients requiring intensive care[2][3] .
Recognition Procedure
Process in which foreign nursing qualifications are examined and adapted to German standards through re‑qualification courses and examinations[4][6] .
Triple‑Win Program
Recruitment program through which Germany, among other things, recruits Filipino nurses, officially offering benefits to the country of origin, the destination country, and the migrants themselves[6][9] .
