A brand new nursing school for Forbach

Nursing students made their return to school there at the beginning of September, but the inauguration of theIFSI (Nursing Training Institute) of Forbach
took place on Thursday. The old premises, dating from 1967, had become dilapidated and too narrow. The 2,000 m2 building now has more space to accommodate the 300 students welcomed each year: it is more modern, and has also replaced theformer wasteland of the Sainte-Barbe hospital centerclosed in 2011, which was becoming a real wart in the neighborhood.

Modern and adapted equipment

The school now has a large amphitheater with 200 seats, classrooms, relaxation areas, but above all six equipped practical work rooms all the necessary medical equipment. Here, a dummy, there, an emergency trolley, just like in real life. “We only had four lab rooms in the old school, which were too small. There, with these six rooms, we can do more workshops, in smaller groups, to really better answer students’ questions“, explains Karine Nareto, one of the trainers at the IFSI in Forbach.

Establishment threatened in the past

It was hot, the nursing school of Forbach: it is located only 20 km from that of Sarreguemines. There was talk of closing one of them. But in 2019, the Grand Est Region decided to maintain both. “The health crisis has shown us how much our country needs to train local caregivers“, insists Jean Rottner, the president of the regional council. “For me, it was useless to close either Forbach or Sarreguemines. But on the contrary to maintain both, and to ask them to work together“.

“We had a hollow nose: the health crisis shows that we need to train local caregivers” – Jean Rottner

Training as closely as possible to patients is also a way of fight against medical desertsfor the mayor of Forbach, Alexandre Cassaro: “Train caregivers who tomorrow will make it possible to create hospital beds, to help our seniors in nursing homes“.

Another particularity of the IFSI of Forbach: a Franco-German training, in partnership with its counterpart in Saarbrücken. “German patients, who do not necessarily speak French, come to us for treatment. It is important to have staff capable of welcoming them“, for Arielle Sac-Epée, the director of the IFSI of Forbach and Sarreguemines.

The Grand Est Region has invested 3.7 million euros in this new institute, or 80% of the total cost. The community also has increased training capacities in health professions : “Up to 2,000 additional places during the mandate“, says Valérie Debord, the vice-president of the Region in charge of training.