Nursing Duties in Germany
Nursing is one of the essential and vital components of the healthcare system. Considering Germany as one of the advanced European countries with a special focus on its healthcare system, nurses in this country will have a more prominent role and heavier duties. This article specifically examines the duties of nurses in Germany.
Nursing is among the needed professions in Germany, to the extent that it actively recruits experienced and educated nursing personnel from around the world. Therefore, if you have completed your education in this field and aim to live and work in this European country, now is an opportune time. Although there are slight differences in the duties of nurses between Germany and Iran, due to the decent income and career growth opportunities, it serves as an excellent immigration destination for you. Stay with us until the end of this article if you want to gain a better understanding of nursing duties in Germany.
What are the duties of nurses in Germany?
A nurse plays an important role in the healthcare system and therefore has specific and sometimes heavy responsibilities. The duties of nurses in Germany are not limited to one or a few specific tasks but include a long list of responsibilities. It is worth mentioning that nursing duties in Germany require certain backgrounds such as proficiency in the German language, complete skills in patient care and treatment, etc. Nursing services in Germany have a wide range, including caring for patients in hospitals, clinics, health centers, homes, and caring for elderly or pediatric patients at home. Based on this, it can be said that the duties of nurses in Germany depend on the type of service they provide. In other words, the duties of nurses working in hospitals, medical centers, healthcare centers for the elderly, childcare centers, and home care centers differ from each other. One thing about nursing in Germany is that nurses have to go through two training phases. In the first phase, nurses receive theoretical and practical training at universities and nursing training centers, and then they must complete a practical training course in one of the hospitals or health centers. Although nurses can work in hospitals during their training period, the duties of nurses in Germany will be slightly different from what they do during their training period. In fact, the duties of a nurse in Germany during the student and training period will not be as heavy as those of a nursing specialist or expert. Some of the duties of nurses in Germany are as follows:
Patient Care
The first and most important duty of nurses in Germany is caring for and attending to patients. In fact, nurses are responsible for the care of patients and must assist them until they achieve complete recovery. This duty of nurses in Germany includes preparing and administering medications, assisting in surgeries, providing nutrition, and caring for patients in hospitals or at home.
Providing Counseling to Patients
The second duty of nurses in Germany relates to counseling patients and their families, so they can better understand the illness and its treatment, and provide them with psychological support to accept their current situation.
Conducting Tests and Measurements
Performing necessary tests and measurements is another duty of nurses in Germany. Nurses must conduct important tests related to the illness and document or report the results. Additionally, they must continuously monitor the patient's condition and conduct various examinations and measurements.
Educating Patients
Nurses educate patients and their families on how to care for the patient and assist in their treatment. This duty includes ensuring proper nutrition, safety, and personal hygiene.
Collaborating with Other Nurses and Physicians
Proper collaboration with colleagues is one of the most important duties of nurses in Germany, allowing them to expedite patient recovery and provide the best care.
Providing Counseling and Services to Patients After Treatment
Nurses are also responsible for providing counseling and therapeutic services to patients after treatment, assisting them in fully recovering and returning to their daily lives.
Emergency Management
Nurses in Germany are responsible for managing medical emergencies in hospitals and medical centers, providing prompt and accurate assistance to patients in emergency situations.
Caring for Elderly Patients
Nurses also have the responsibility of caring for and attending to elderly patients, helping them recover from illnesses and maintain a high quality of life.
Pain Management and Control
One of the duties of nurses in Germany is pain management and control, providing various treatments such as massage, medication, breathing techniques, etc., to alleviate patient pain when needed.
Maintenance and Care of Medical Equipment
Nurses must also maintain and care for medical equipment to ensure optimal usage.
Management and Care of Chronic Illnesses, reviewing patient records and medical histories, providing information on patient conditions and diseases to physicians, participating in medical decision-making related to patients, monitoring disease progression and treatment, and addressing patients' personal and health needs are among the other duties of nurses in Germany. However, it should be noted that these are just some of the responsibilities of nurses in Germany, and nurses must have sufficient knowledge and experience to perform each of these tasks, as well as be familiar with the laws and regulations related to the nursing profession in Germany.
Reasons for the importance of nursing duties in Germany
As mentioned, nurses are vital members of the healthcare system responsible for providing care to patients. Therefore, it can be said that performing nursing duties in Germany is highly important. Indeed, with the increasing elderly population in this country, there is a strong need for nursing professionals to care for this demographic, which may be why the migration of nurses to Germany has seen significant growth in recent years. Additionally, due to the increasingly complex and chronic nature of diseases, this country requires nurses with sufficient knowledge and experience to care for patients of all ages, from newborns and children to middle-aged and elderly individuals. These nurses must be fully aware of their duties and strive to fulfill them in the best possible way.
In general, performing nursing duties in Germany is important for improving the health status of patients and various segments of society, as well as enhancing the quality of healthcare services nationwide. One reason Germany values experienced nurses is their thorough mastery of their profession and familiarity with nursing duties.
Difference between nursing duties in Germany and nursing assistance
You've probably heard the terms "nurse" and "nursing assistant" many times. Some of you may not be familiar with the difference between nursing duties in Germany and nursing assistance. Let's explore the duties of these two occupational categories.
In Germany, nurses and nursing assistants are two types of healthcare workers with different roles and responsibilities. Nursing duties in Germany involve providing care and health services to patients. German nurses are individuals who have studied nursing and obtained a professional license in this field. Given the sensitivity of nursing duties in Germany, nurses must possess sufficient knowledge, skills, and experience to effectively contribute to patient care.
On the other hand, nursing assistants do not hold a professional license, and their duty is to assist nurses in providing care and health services to patients, as well as assisting them in performing nursing duties in Germany. Their tasks include assisting patients with bathing or using the toilet, providing personal hygiene and cleaning services, changing patients' clothes, feeding patients, preparing their meals, transferring patients to different hospital departments, and more. Therefore, the main difference between nurses and nursing assistants lies in their education, experience, and professional license, which ultimately leads to differences in nursing duties in Germany and nursing assistance. Nursing duties in Germany mainly revolve around patient care and health, while nursing assistants primarily provide services related to patient hygiene and personal needs. However, in general, nurses and nursing assistants in Germany, as two types of healthcare workers, collaborate and interact continuously to provide better care and health services to patients.
Nurse Duties in Germany and Required Skills
You might also wonder whether specific skills are required to perform nursing duties in Germany. In response to this question, we must say yes. To work as a nurse in Germany, you need certain specific skills. As mentioned, nurses must have a professional license to provide care to patients, and to obtain this license, they must adhere to certain professional and educational requirements. The skills required to perform nursing duties in Germany include:
1. Ability to recognize symptoms of various diseases and assess and evaluate the patient's condition.
2. Providing care services to patients, including administering medications, changing patients' clothes, providing nutrition and preparing patient meals, observing personal hygiene, assisting with cleanliness, and controlling chronic and environmental diseases.
3. Ability to manage patient medications and perform medical tests and examinations.
4. Collaboration with physicians and other healthcare professionals and staff.
5. Management and supervision of patients in various hospital departments.
6. Strong communication skills to communicate with patients and their families.
7. Ability to problem-solve and make quick decisions based on the patient's situation and needs.
8. Ability to work in difficult and high-pressure/stressful conditions.
9. Possession of a strong spirit to provide services and consultations to patients and their families.
It is worth mentioning that in addition to all the mentioned requirements in this article, one of the main prerequisites that can even be listed in the group of nursing duties in Germany is familiarity with the laws and regulations of nursing in this country. Individuals intending to immigrate as nurses to this country must have sufficient proficiency in the German language to communicate with patients and colleagues and meet their needs. One of the facilities provided to nurses in Germany is the opportunity to improve their education and specialization by participating in various and numerous training courses. In fact, nurses can register for training courses to improve their professional skills and increase their knowledge in this field. Naturally, nursing duties in Germany depend on the level of education and the department in which they work, and obtaining expertise in one of the nursing-related fields may allow for some changes in their duties.
If you have studied nursing and want to immigrate to one of the European countries, you should know that Germany is one of the best and most sought-after destinations for immigrant nurses. Although nursing duties in Germany may differ from Iran, the availability of career advancement opportunities and modern medical facilities and equipment in the hospitals of this country make it an excellent choice for nurses to immigrate. If you intend to immigrate to this country but are concerned about financial issues (Financial Planning for Nurses: How to Achieve Financial Wellness as a Nurse) and the costs of this stressful path, you should know that the Monarch Migration Institute handles your immigration process to Germany completely free of charge and with full support (even after you enter German soil).
Entrust us with assessing your chances of success and receiving advice for immigrating to Germany by filling out the consultation form.
