'It is never boring here, truly never'
'When I saw the job vacancy, I knew: this is it. I’ve been a registered donor since I was 24. And I’ve dealt with donation and transplantation through three people, including my mother-in-law. She passed away while she was on the waiting list for a donor heart. It might not be quite that personal for everyone here, but for me that was important. And my experience in the corporate world and the diplomatic sphere comes in very handy here, too.'
'No other organization is comparable to the NTS'
'The NTS is a fascinating and dynamic organization. We deal with many parties, such as the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport, health insurers, tissue banks, and university medical centers that perform transplants. No organization is comparable; the NTS is truly unique. At the Organ Center, for example, doctors work who do not have patient contact, but who make important decisions about donor acceptance and the release of tissues. Those are unique roles.'
'You get opportunities if you are open to them'
'Many highly educated and passionate people work here. You get opportunities if you are open to them and if you show growth. There is no discrimination; we have people from all kinds of backgrounds, sexual orientations, and religions. That also fits the subject matter. The employees are very diverse. For example, you have creative people working alongside people who are good with numbers.'
“There is no discrimination; we have people from all kinds of backgrounds, sexual orientations, and religions.”
'The NTS is growing'
'In recent years, the NTS has grown from 20 employees to about 120, including policy makers, advisors, process supporters, communication specialists, and donation professionals. Many employees have been with us for 10 or 20 years. We are always looking for new colleagues for the Organ Center. This department consults the Donor Register and accepts tissue donors. Interestingly, we sometimes see our temporary staff return later as staff physicians or medical backup.'
'We are continuously working on improvement'
'The NTS is an organization focused on improvement. That goes hand in hand with ISO certification, a quality mark. We look at risks and take measures. We are constantly engaged in process improvement to be able to help more patients with a transplant, out of respect for the donor and their surviving relatives. The NTS clearly has a serving character.'