Wieke Paulusma

Paulusma, D66, including logo on the bottom left.

Summary

Wieke Paulusma is born in Emmen on 5 December 1978 and lives in Groningen. She is in total 1098 days active in the House of Representatives.

Social media links

Biography

“Colouring outside the lines”

Politics would benefit from people who know how healthcare works. It is a complex system that policy-makers in The Hague do not always do justice to, which is why I traded in my hospital job for being an MP.

While I was still a district nurse, I saw how important a social network can be. Having someone to call may sound like a minor thing, but its importance cannot be overstated. The same is true for politics: every step counts.

Creating calm

I am a Northerner through and through. I was born in Drenthe, always spoke Frisian at home and now live in Groningen, where I was also a municipal councillor. In The Hague, I want to push for a more prevention-oriented approach to healthcare, rather than just curing symptoms when they emerge. Better nutrition and more exercise are excellent preventive strategies, but so is listening closely. That is why I love shadowing healthcare workers: in practice, you get to see what really matters.

Common sense

As a district nurse, I was always taught to ask what I could do for people the moment I came in. Your official task might be to bandage someone’s legs, but they may also have other needs. Sometimes, you have to colour outside the lines to truly help people. Being an MP is a great responsibility. The work we do here can help countless people, but it can also hurt them. The childcare benefits scandal is a prime example, and it should have been avoided with a good dose of common sense.

Education

  • HBO Nursing, School of Nursing, Groningen
  • Nursing Specialist, University of Applied Sciences Utrecht, Utrecht
  • VWO

Career

  • University Medical Center Groningen/ Ommelander hospital, from 2019
  • District nurse, TSN Thuiszorg, 2018-2019
  • Manager and Project leader, Treant zorggroep, 2017
  • Municipal council member D66 Groningen, D66, Groningen, from 2014
  • Manager, University Medical Center Groningen (UMCG), 2013-2016
  • PuraVida
  • Supervisor, Thuiszorg Icare, 2011-2013
  • Senior Account Manager, Storm Marketing Consultants, 2009-2010
  • Director, MAD multimedia, 2007-2010
  • Nurse specialist, Thuiszorg Groningen, 2003-2007

Committees