I am Dr. Alfred Steininger and as a professor of Nursing Studies at the Academy for the Health Professions at the Fatebenefratelli hospital in Vienna, I am also in charge of taking junior health personnel on rounds throughout the various departments of the hospital. During these rounds, moving encounters with patients or their relatives often take place.

Once, for example, two students had been assigned to give a bed bath to an elderly and immobilized patient. At almost the last minute, the patient was diagnosed with a severe cardiac insufficiency and because of his advanced age, and on the advice of the bioethics committee and in agreement with his relatives, the procedure was cancelled. In the morning, the patient expressed the desire to go outside into the hospital garden. The two students, after consulting with the doctors and nurses, organized a spontaneous excursion outdoors. A time was chosen that allowed the patient’s daughter to be there as well. When the small group got outside, into the sun-filled garden, for five minutes there was a total, deep silence. No one spoke, Then, the father and his daughter both sobbed uncontrollably. Once back inside, they repeatedly thanked everyone for giving them this unusual opportunity.

When I later met with the two students and we reflected on what had happened, they both stressed the importance they felt health workers should give to combining professionalism with human attention, kindness and spontaneity. And both said that this was precisely the reason they had chosen the Fatebenefratelli Academy for their nursing training.