Meet Elodie, nurse at the Bruges site 

Did you know that in France, the presence of a nurse is compulsory in industrial establishments with 200 or more employees, and in all companies with 500 or more employees ? 
In Billy-Berclau, Carole Hak fulfils this role for the Gigafactory employees. In Bruges, Elodie Jaulin has been available to employees since last September. 
To mark World Nurses' Day, sit back and prepare to meet Elodie, who invites us to discover her job as a corporate nurse. 
 

A caring presence for employees

Elodie began her career in the hectic pace of the emergency department at the Pellegrin University Hospital in Bordeaux. While she appreciates the adrenalin it generates and the technical skills it requires, she's gradually coming to regret the lack of time spent with patients. "I really missed not being able to listen to people or to be present. I'm finding that relational aspect here”. The need to "see another vision of the profession" led her to leave the hospital after seven years, and join the very different corporate environment.

At ACC, Elodie's role is multifaceted: from supporting and listening to employees, to setting up projects and workshops, as well as raising awareness and liaising with the occupational medicine. 
The heart of her job is to be there for employees on a daily basis: whether it's dealing with minor day-to-day health problems, or providing a sympathetic ear for their concerns. "The purpose of a nurse is to meet needs and keep the office door open". Being able to take the time to get to know employees and to support them is the aspect that Elodie values most in her work in the company: "I can be present, I can provide support, advise and listen. Employees can come and see me any time, and that's very valuable for me". Elodie is careful to take the time everyone needs to talk, in a confidential and caring environment.
 

Raising awareness and ensuring well-being in the workplace: the role of health and prevention workshops

Supporting employees also means implementing projects to ensure their well-being, as well as raising their awareness of health issues within the company. 

In this way, Elodie was able to set up kinesiology workshops run by students training in the discipline, which were held at the beginning of May to a full house: a great deal of research took place beforehand, in order to find a paramedical service provider who met the criteria sought, in particular that of "keeping a reasonable price for employees". 

The awareness-raising workshops, set up in partnership with the HR or HSE teams, are all opportunities to speak out on a variety of health topics:
"It's very interesting and rewarding to set up new projects, there are so many possible topics that you have to make choices. This sharing of knowledge and information is something I really enjoy.” Examples include workshops to raise awareness of life-saving techniques for employees who are workplace first-aiders, the "Diagnomatch" and the PPE workshop for Health and Safety Week, and an awareness-raising and screening workshop for World Hypertension Day in May. 

Chemical risks are also addressed, with practical exercises enabling employees to learn about their prevention on an ongoing basis. 

Elodie can also intervene to train teams on the pathologies from which certain employees may suffer, such as epilepsy. The people working with the employees concerned on a day-to-day basis are thus made aware of the condition, the risks involved and good healthcare practices. "Despite the presence of a great number of workplace first-aiders on the site, it's really important that the team you work with is trained. It's always done with the consent of the employee concerned, who often asks for it, because it's important for their safety that the people around them are aware of the situation and know how to react in the event of a problem".

Working as a team 

In addition, there's a lot of administrative work: managing medical check-ups in conjunction with occupational medicine, managing equipment and the various first-aid cabinets available on site, etc. 
Although Elodie is currently the only nurse at Bruges, she appreciates the collaboration she has found with the teams she works with, particularly the HSE and HR teams. Elodie is also in frequent contact with Carole, nurse at Billy-Berclau, with whom she shares the desire to align projects between the two sites as much as possible: "If we need to, we can call each other to talk, give each other advice, and feel supported”.

Relationships at the heart of everyday life 

"It's the role of the corporate nurse to work with the HSE and HR teams to improve the quality of life at work for employees, and at the same time to limit any possible complications they may have in relation to their workstation," sums up Elodie.

She is available to all employees at the Bruges site, and can be met in her office at the Expertise Center. 
"What I like most about my job is the interpersonal aspect: people feel protected by professional secrecy, and it's reassuring to know that you can speak freely. I'm not there to judge, there's a genuine exchange.” Elodie is also keen to hear any good ideas employees may have about workplace health projects - we can expect more exciting workshops to come!