Christmas in the hospital - Christina Cherry

Nobody wants to spend the Christmas holidays in the hospital. If the hospital stay affects children, it can be for the small Patients and their families can become a sad festival – but that doesn’t have to be the case, because doctors and nursing staff at the Klagenfurt Clinic strive to create a festive atmosphere.

At Christmas, the mood in the hospital is a little different. At the Parent-Child Center (ELKI) in the Klagenfurt Clinic, doctors and nurses try the Christmas days for the patients and their relatives as pleasantly and solemnly as possible shape.

ORF The way to the hospital is particularly painful at Christmas

Hope and worry in the premature ward

At Christmas in the premature ward in the Klagenfurt Clinic, everything goes as usual. Parents visit their babies here every day who still need support on their way to life. Kathrin Polanig has been coming from Völkermarkt since October. At Christmas, besides the usual hope and worry, there are other feelings. Kathrin Polanig: "It has always been very emotional when I come to my little Annika – but at Christmas it is particularly sad that she cannot be with us."

ORF Baby in the premature ward

Some are allowed to go home for Christmas

Many beds are empty on the children’s ward over Christmas. Because if it is medically justifiable, an attempt is made to discharge children home over the Christmas days. Jörg Jahnel is primary for children and adolescent medicine: "In the inpatient area we try to be very benevolent and to discharge the patients home. Of course, if children are not capable of being released, they cannot go home. However, we also try to discharge patients home for a few hours in between. ”

ORF Small patients are even discharged every hour because of Christmas

For those who stay here with their relatives, doctors and nursing staff also try to convey a little Christmas spirit in the hospital. Senior physician Doris Kuchernig has been doing Christmas service at the children’s ward for many years. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day are special days.

ORF The Christmas tree must not be missing here at the children’s ward

Christmas emergencies are often particularly dramatic

Doris Kuchernig: “Overall, there is still a lot of hustle and bustle in the morning on Christmas Eve – especially in the ambulance. It cannot be estimated in hospital, there are holy evenings that go very quietly, but there are also emergencies, the then but get a special value. "

Depending on how important Christmas is to someone, how you feel about it, it could be felt more intensely in the hospital. Christmas in the hospital – this is certainly not a lavish celebration, but contemplation, love and hope – there is one here too.

Hope and worry in the premature ward

Some are allowed to go home for Christmas

Christmas emergencies are often particularly dramatic

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