Meet our staff

It's not necessary, but liking technology makes it easier for those who want to work as a radiology nurse, says Kim.
– If you have a genuine interest in anatomy, physiology and technology, it's a very fun job. There's so much going on all the time.

Handling of high-tech medical equipment

Kim Jordan Erlandsen works in the Radiology Department at Karlstad Central Hospital. A large part of the work involves handling high-tech medical equipment such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), skeletal X-rays, computed tomography and ultrasound. But it also involves traditional patient contact.

– During a typical day at work, for example, I perform MRI examinations, prepare by reading medical histories, receive and prepare patients for various types of examinations, insert needles, position the patient in the MRI, adjust various image-optimizing parameters. So it is a great mix of patient care and work with exciting technology, says Kim Jordan Erlandsen and continues:

– The best part of the job is meeting the patient. We have fairly short meetings with them, so it is important to quickly create a relationship. You need to always maintain respect for the patient and help them feel safe in an exposed situation.

Opportunity for further training in ultrasound

Kim Jordan Erlandsen is originally from Norway but ended up in Sweden through a job in Norrköping. In 2012 he moved to Karlstad and since then he has been working at the Radiology Department at the Central Hospital.

– The city’s location is great, three hours from Oslo, Gothenburg and Stockholm each. A big reason I ended up at the Central Hospital was also that Region Värmland gave me the opportunity to further train in ultrasound while I was working. The clinic was a very good support there.

With experience from other workplaces, Kim Jordan Erlandsen highlights the cohesion among colleagues as a distinctive positive factor.

– Everything on the department is very new and fresh, that was something I liked when I was here and looked before I started working. Above all, we are a core of colleagues who have worked together for a long time, who have a lot of fun together and who have a lot of experience. I hope you notice that if you come here as a patient.

Andrea Wassenberg was born and raised in Germany, where she also became a psychologist. Interested in psychology from an early age, she studied and entered the profession in Germany.

– People’s differences and stories have always fascinated me. I love my work and I get so much in return. The patient opens up their whole life to me and I get to be with them every step of the way.

From urban Germany to rural Torsby

Andrea was living with her husband in a densely populated area near Düsseldorf and the Ruhr. Both had a dream of living somewhere else, preferably in Scandinavia, where they had spent many holidays over the years.

– My husband is a doctor and he came into contact with the hospital in Torsby at a recruitment fair in Hamburg. They were looking for surgeons, and that is how we ended up in Sweden. It’s a decision we never regretted. Now we live close to forest and lake, in a place that is very similar to the places we would visit on holiday.

Once she had settled in Värmland, Andrea was offered a position at the same hospital as her husband. Thanks to private Swedish language tutoring and helpful colleagues, she was able to receive her first patients after only six months.

– As a psychologist, language is my most important tool and many times I wondered how I was going to manage. But I got great help here, both from my employer and from my colleagues.

A strong team spirit and cooperation to develop activities

Working in a small community has many benefits. Andrea describes a strong team spirit and great opportunities to work together with her colleagues, to develop their activities.

– We know each other well, we know who in the team works best with what issue, and that way we can find the best treatment options for each patient. Often times, small groups generate a lot of ideas, and the closeness to our manager allows us to more quickly test out new working methods. I work in a highly skilled team where there is a curiosity and a willingness to take on new challenges.

Great openness towards other cultures

Today, Andrea and her family live close to nature, in a place that is storybook beautiful. She describes how they have always felt welcomed, both by the local community and by Värmland County Council.

– Värmland County Council works actively to prevent a scarcity of resources within certain professions, and I feel there is a great openness towards other cultures. There is a great commitment to getting people from other countries to come and work in Sweden, which I think is amazing. New employees are always welcome!

Watch the film with Andrea

The Department of Laboratory Medicine at Karlstad Central Hospital is in full swing.

Inside the part called the Blood Central, biomedical scientist Josefin Högling is preparing a blood order for an operation.

– It's a very varied profession, but never boring. Today I work on the emergency side. Here we can receive urgent orders for blood, plasma, platelets, as well as trauma packs*. We also analyze blood groups and various compatibility tests that can lead to further antibody investigations. Always with a strong focus on quality, she says.

– We are a very supportive team that works here. My colleagues are extremely ambitious and talented, and that motivates me. I feel very comfortable here.

Varied tasks

In total, around 200 biomedical scientists work in Region Värmland. They are located in different parts of the organisation and their tasks are varied. Tasks can involve anything from analyzing a blood value to diagnosing malaria or cancer. Sometimes it is urgent, ​​sometimes it is investigations that take days.

Josefin Högling divides her time between laboratory medicine and "Ge blod", where blood donations are handled. She enjoys the variety.

– Within serology there is the opportunity to really “get geeky” about things like antibodies and various investigations. At "Ge blod" I get the personal interactions when I meet our blood donors. I've had so many lovely meetings with people who want to make an important contribution.