Inside an Overwhelmed ER: A Nurse’s 19-Year Fight to Save Lives

The emergency department at Evangelisches Krankenhaus (EVK) in Bergisch Gladbach is under pressure this Wednesday afternoon. Closed doctors’ offices have pushed more patients toward the ER, a pattern that repeats every Monday. Katrin Labusga-Cremer, a nurse with 19 years of experience—five of them in emergency care—navigates the busy shift in her blue scrubs and leopard-print Crocs.

Labusga-Cremer arrived at 2 p.m. for the late shift, taking charge of surgical patients. The nursing hub, the department’s central point, buzzes with staff coordinating care, calling wards, and arranging transfers. Every patient is assessed using a colour-coded triage system, meaning treatment depends on urgency rather than arrival time.

All beds in the hospital are currently full, though discharges are expected later in the day. The recent move of the KV practice—a nearby clinic handling non-life-threatening cases—has eased some pressure on the ER. Still, the workload remains intense, and Labusga-Cremer has faced verbal abuse, physical aggression, and even stalking over the years. Despite the challenges, she sees nursing as more than a job—it’s a calling. She particularly enjoys night shifts, where the rhythm of work feels different, offering a change of pace from the daytime rush.

The ER at EVK Bergisch Gladbach continues to manage high patient numbers, especially when local clinics close. Labusga-Cremer’s long experience highlights both the demands and rewards of emergency nursing. With triage systems in place and support from relocated services, the team works to balance urgent care with limited resources.