American nurse working in Germany

ellenfox-christie · Feb 23, 2010

Are there any american nurses working in Germany with advise for me? I am a RN working on a L&D unit, with certification as a childbirth educator, and as a lactation counselor. My partner is German and we are moving to Germany in July and I wonder if I have any hope of working as a nurse in Germany?

Trauma Columnist · Feb 23, 2010

Have you tried the US military bases?

JAS2000 · Feb 24, 2010

Ellenfox-Christie...what part of Germany are you moving to? Do you speak German? When you get here it's a lot of paperwork that you have to deal with. You'll need to translate all of the paperwork you need to send into whatever Bundesland you'll be in. Then they will send you an answer if you are Anerkannt or not. I live in Niedersachsen and have an Associate Degree in Nursing. They said that they would have accepted a BSN as equal to their schooling. If you aren't Anerkannt then it's up to the Bundesland as to how you can become Anerkannt. The biggest thing with them is the clinical hours. I had about 750, they have around 1,800 (I think). Although I had more than twice as much theory as them.

I have an interview on Friday but only because of a friend of a friend...otherwise they aren't exactly hurting for nurses...atleast in this area.

If you have any other questions, maybe I can help, just let me know.

~Jennifer

JAS2000 · Feb 25, 2010

I take it back, they don't have 1,800 clinical hours....it's 2,500!

~Jennifer

NurseCubanitaRN2b, BSN, RN · Feb 25, 2010

Please excuse my ignorance but what are the following?

1. Anerkennung

2. Bundesland

Those are new terms to me and I understand that those are German words. I'm just curious.

Fiona59 · Feb 25, 2010

Bundesland is kind of like a state or province. Niedersachen is Lower Saxony, think Hannover

JAS2000 · Feb 26, 2010

Like Fiona said a Bundesland is a state...they each have their own laws regarding nursing. Hannover is Niedersachsen's Bundesstadt (capital)

Anerkennung is basically to get approval to work as a nurse. Nurses aren't licensed over here but it's basically the same as getting your license.

There's also no state licensure exam like the US knows it. They have to do a 3 step exam at their nursing school that consist of a by mouth question/answer, then a written test, then they have to go to a hospital and are tested on their skills/pt. & MD communication and so forth.

clromv · Dec 16, 2010

There are private jobs available on military bases in Germany.

AnRas · Jan 4, 2011

Here in Stuttgart with my Husband who works now as Civ for military and I am an LPN. It is tough to find a job here on the Army Post. We have one very small clinic and only a few positions that become vacant. Those are filled quickly by Nurses volunteering with Red Cross. Last time I checked Red Cross said they had enough volunteers, didn't need anymore for clinic. I worked my first year and a half here in Child Care on post. I love kids but being paid $8 hourly and treated like crap got to me. I was hired after that a Substitute teacher for elementary school on post & sub for school Nurse as well. Thank goodness we are on our last year here! I worked LTC before this and. Keep license current so my hope is return to States and go. Ack to school for RN. I do know there is more of a need on Army Posts here for RN's and what area of Germany you are in can help. Hospitals, large clinics are mostly near Heidelberg or Ramstein ( Airforce Base). I am here for only e few years so trying to make the best of it. Germany is a beautiful place and we live off post in a German neighborhood, it has been a great experience and I have been able to travel to so many wonderful countries here easily. Tough part will be going back to States an breathing new life into my career that has now been on hold.