The Infection Clinic is celebrating 50 years at the Rehov District Hospital. Mary Engwall hasn't been there long, but in 1981 she first walked through the doors. She has stayed and feels at home ever since. – Working here suited me, I got to know the clinic and how it works here, and in the past we had a lot of children here in the department. It suited me, she says.
From a clinic with a large number of children, to a clinic with no children at all. This is how you can, very briefly, sum up 50 years of the infection clinic in Rehov.
Nurse Mary Engwall has been working in infection control since 1981.
“A lot happened during the trip. Before I looked for work, I thought I wanted to work either with infected people or with children — and then I got a little bit of everything. We had a whole department with children. I loved working with children, you know it’s not just saying you’re going to get tested, you have to think a little bit. I thought that was nice,” she says.
And it remained even though the vast majority of children had to come to the pediatric clinic instead of getting infected. Why?
– I've always loved the whole environment here, we've had internships and trips to other hospitals in the country. We've always had a medical team that was so willing to stand up and share their expertise, and that's something you appreciate.
Of course, it wasn't always a bed of roses over the years. Mary Engwall was there in the 1980s when HIV reached Sweden.
– We were part of the whole tragic journey when patients went from HIV to AIDS. There was a huge stigma when it came to HIV at that time, and there was a lot of secrecy which made it difficult with relatives. It was very taboo.
– At that time, we had staff who only cared for the injured – and it was very difficult at times.
What do you think makes Infection different from other companies?
– There's a bit of a difference, we have isolation here, which is not normal in other businesses. It's exciting, you learn a lot during the journey.
What is typical for an infectious disease clinic?
– Yes, typical of infection. I think maybe we have a slightly different way of thinking and behaving when it comes to infection. We have become experts in infection. Infection is often very scary, not only in the community but also among healthcare workers, and I saw that for example in the 1980s with HIV, but also more recently with COVID-19.
“special time”
Yes, Covid-19. It is difficult to visit an infectious diseases clinic without learning about the epidemic that has marked the entire world for several years. The first case of coronavirus infection in Sweden was detected at Ryhov County Hospital in Jönköping.
“Just that evening I was working here. My son saw the news and called me straight away. He was really worried and asked me if I had heard about it. And I was working, so I knew,” Mary says.
The effects of the pandemic are still there, and we have learned many lessons from it. Cooperation between the different clinics has been very important during the pandemic, says Joachim Aronson, operations manager at the Infection Clinic.
“It was a very special time,” he says. “We worked as hard as we ever did.”
Has the pandemic made the hospital a more compact workplace?
– We have approached some clinics. We have started collaborating with geriatrics, for example. I think a lot has returned to what it was before the pandemic, but we are a clinic that works closely with many other companies where we have expertise in many topics.
Future Pandemics, How Prepared Are You?
– We have a pandemic plan that is based on experience, and we didn't have that before. We are equipped, and we have a lot of lessons learned. But you have to make it clear that it has been difficult for many, and if you look at our department, we have had a huge turnover of staff, most of whom are completely new to us now. I definitely think the pandemic played a role there.
What are the important lessons you can take with you from the pandemic?
– We have to help each other. As a small clinic, we cannot bear the pandemic alone, but we have to help each other, says Joachim Aronson.
Landmarks in the infection clinic
- 1974: The infection clinic moved to Rehov from the Ostra Hospital.
- 1985: First HIV patient treated
- 1988: Opening of the new Rehov Hospital
- 1989: First MRSA patient
- 1990: The clinic received its first computer.
- 1991: The first patient with hepatitis C was diagnosed.
- 2015: New treatment for hepatitis C introduced
- 2016: Syringe exchange begins
- 2018: Sepsis alert launched in the region
- 2020: Coronavirus outbreak, 500 patients treated
- 2024: The infection clinic turns 50 in Rehov
“Extreme tv maven. Beer fanatic. Friendly bacon fan. Communicator. Wannabe travel expert.”
More Stories
Make the most of all the apples – four beautiful decorations
Many Seniors Are Malnourished – But It Doesn't Have to Be This Way
New gel could ease pain after herniated disc