Mölnlycke volunteers in hospitals during COVID-19
When the Swedish healthcare system sent out an urgent appeal for support with the pandemic, Mölnlycke and its employees sprang into action.
At the end of 2020, Beredskapslyftet reached out to several large Swedish companies, among them Mölnlycke and Mölnlycke’s owner Investor, asking them to support Swedish healthcare in their hour of need.
An email was rushed out to Mölnlycke employees in Sweden, offering them the opportunity to volunteer during the pandemic for up to three weeks, while retaining their Mölnlycke salaries.
A number of employees are now volunteering – both those with clinical experience and those who have never worked in healthcare before.
Making a difference
Anneli Bjönness and Marielle Backström, usually Account managers at Mölnlycke, are able to make a difference, despite their lack of clinical experience.
‘I primarily support the assistant nurses in the department with tasks that are not about direct patient care, such as filling storerooms and unpacking goods. I also take care of the lunch rooms, which among other things means making sure that there is freshly brewed coffee for the staff. I also make sure that the staff kitchen is tidy and ready for the staff to take a well-deserved break when they can. And that is exactly what they need’, said Anneli, who is at Sahlgrenska hospital in Gothenburg.
Marielle who is doing similar work at Mölndal hospital, outside Gothenburg, explained why making a difference was so important to her:
‘I thought that with two working hands and feet, there must be something I can do to help in this pandemic. Even though my efforts are small, I can make it easier for someone who has already struggled for months’.
Delighted to help
Both Marielle and Anneli are gaining from the experience of volunteering: 'We are getting insight in how an intensive care unit is run during a pandemic. And this whole experience is something we will carry with us the rest of our lives,' they said.
‘At Mölnlycke, we believe we have a responsibility to support healthcare providers in any way we can. We are delighted to be able to help by offering employees the opportunity to volunteer during the pandemic, while taking paid leave. I am very proud of our volunteers.’
Zlatko Rihter, Mölnlycke Chief Executive Officer
