“I always wanted to work on a Rega base since I was little”, says Jacqueline Zbären, who comes from the Bernese Oberland. This wish motivated her to pursue a comprehensive education: She first qualified as a nurse, then a specialist anaesthesia nurse and finally as a paramedic. She also worked at Swiss Alpine Rescue as a medical specialist.
She fulfilled her dream five years ago when she started work at the Rega base in Zweisimmen. As working as a paramedic on the ground is not the same as in the air, Jacqueline Zbären first completed a three-month course. “I got to know the medical equipment, learned the procedures, was trained in working in a helicopter and was also taught how to use the rescue hoist.” The Rega crews use the hoist to rescue people from very difficult or dangerous situations. "I like using the hoist the best. I’m then completely in the moment and have to focus completely on my work. It's both intense and exciting”, she says. When using the rescue hoist, one or two people are attached to the cable – up to 90 metres below the helicopter cabin. These rescue missions require ultra-precise work in order to go smoothly.
The paramedic is already looking forward to the new Rega helicopter, which will be stationed at the Zweisimmen base next year. “Then during a hoist rescue, I’ll no longer be standing at the open door of the helicopter but outside the cabin on the skids”, Jacqueline Zbären says. But this challenge is not the only reason why she enjoys her work: “Our tasks are incredibly varied. We are the link between aviation and medicine. We support the pilots during the flight with navigation, help them to identify obstacles and assist them in communicating by radio. On the ground, we care for the patients together with the emergency flight physicians.”
In addition to her work at Rega, Jacqueline Zbären also works one day a week in a hospital and sometimes in the rescue service. “That's a good supplement. It allows me to link the jobs I learned.” When she’s not sitting next to the pilot in the cockpit or working in the hospital, the 42-year-old spends time in the mountains. Whether on a bike, touring skis or along a climbing route: “The main thing is that the ascent is steep.”
