A nursing mentor and her former protégé—both from Germany—reunited in the United States in mid-March 2023 to discuss the future of the nursing profession and to explore potential collaborations that will help move the profession forward.
Arielle Hanisch is a patient care navigator in ambulatory care at Fox Chase Cancer Center. She studied nursing in her native Germany, earning her RN credential there, and is now working toward fulfilling the requirements to become an RN in the U.S.
In observing nursing practice differences in this country compared to her homeland, Hanisch shared insights with her former nursing professor, Sandra Bensch, PhD, MScN, RN, FH. Dr. Bensch, vice dean of the Department of Healthcare and Nursing, teaches nursing practice and didactic at the Catholic University of Applied Sciences Mainz (Katholische Hochschule Mainz) in Mainz, Germany.
Their international discussion led to a week-long academic and clinical visit by Dr. Bensch to Fox Chase as well as various sites throughout Temple University Health System, including Temple University Hospital – Main Campus, TUH – Jeanes Campus, and TUH – Episcopal Campus, where she met with numerous academic and clinical stakeholders to discuss nursing and healthcare in the U.S. and beyond.
“Nurses have exceedingly more autonomy here in the U.S., and regularly serve as leaders in the development and delivery of high-quality patient care,” noted Susan Rux, PhD, RN, ACNS-BC, CNE, CPCC, CPRW, FACHE, LNCC, NEA-BC, NPD-BC, OCN, PHN, PNAP, associate vice president, Nursing Education and Professional Development/Innovation, who helped plan and host the visit along with Anna Rodriguez, MSN, MHA, RN, OCN, NEA-BC, chief nursing officer and vice president of Nursing and Patient Care Services at Fox Chase, Chaudron Carter Short, PhD, EdD, RN, NEA-BC, chief nursing executive, Temple University Health System and Temple University Hospital Inc., and Kathy Wolf, MBA, BSN, RN, NEA-BC, director of Magnet and Nursing Quality at Fox Chase.
“Dr. Bensch is a real trailblazer in our field,” said Dr. Rux. “She is an accomplished and well-educated leader, who is advancing the nursing profession on an international level.”
During her visit, Dr. Bensch had discussions with various members of the clinical care teams that serve Temple Health’s patients, from executive-level leaders to physicians, nursing directors and managers, advanced practice clinicians, clinical nurse specialists, nursing professional development specialists, and staff nurses.
“Every day was amazing,” Dr. Bensch said, recounting a particularly memorable experience with a patient in the Bone Marrow Transplant Unit.
“In sharing her story, this patient told us that she wants to be seen as a whole person; not simply as a disease or a wound,” Dr. Bensch said. “The patient stressed the importance of listening by her care team to achieve her ideal patient experience.”
Dr. Bensch noted that in Germany, professionals such as nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinical nurse specialists are not represented in their healthcare system. The concept of a care team is not present in patient care as it is in the U.S.
“The structure is more hierarchy-driven in Germany,” said Hanisch. “Doctors have more power and influence than nurses, and they often project this dynamic in front of the patient.”
In contrast, the American experience includes various healthcare professionals who contribute to a patient’s care—each of the professions fostering shared respect.
“We are even documented as care providers in Epic,” Hanisch said of herself and other nurses. “It’s not just the doctor’s name on the medical record.”
With so much meaningful discussion, Dr. Bensch hopes that in talking with physicians, she can open an ongoing dialogue on how they can support nurses and encourage more collaboration, both in the U.S. and Germany, between the professions.
“Our goal is to engage some champions to develop a model of nursing care that will improve patient outcomes and bolster the image of the nursing profession in Germany,” said Dr. Rux.
“We look forward to a continued partnership and collaboration with Dr. Bensch to advance the discipline of nursing in Germany,” said Rodriguez.