Published Apr 1, 2005
nurseerin
7 Posts
I will be moving to Germany in 2 years while my husband does research. I am a nurse and am wondering if anyone can lead me in the right direction for possible jobs in Germany for a nurse who does not speak German. While my husband speaks fluent German and tries to teach me, I cannot do a job that requires the German language. Are there places for English speaking nurses to work? Any advice or a push in the right direction would be very helpful and appreciative. Thank you!
Fiona59
8,343 Posts
You might try the British Military Hospitals or even the American (depends where in Germany you are going).
Don't know if they would hire civilian nurses, but hey, nothing ventured nothing gained??!!
traumaRUs, MSN, APRN
88 Articles; 21,268 Posts
In Frankfurt, the big US Air Base is Ramstein and they have a large hospital there. They do of course hire Americans, usually spouses of American GI's but I think it is worth a shot.
live4today, RN
5,099 Posts
I lived in Germany (Frankfurt and Augsburg) in the early nineties, and there was so much downsizing going on there at that time...no nursing jobs to be had. If you speak German, or start learning some, you may be able to work in German hospitals. I think you'll love Germany though! I did! :)
ChristinaNcRN
31 Posts
Hi,
I´m Monica and a German Nurse since 1987 .At first I would recomend to learn German then I have to ask you do you need to work to support your familiy because working as agerman nurse is totaly different then working in the US.
A Nurse has almost no responsibility you are there for making beds, feeding, adminster meds oral,sc,im, allowed to hang on IV ,thats the main things you do,you will also have to things that helpers do in the states . In Germany you have Nurses and nursing Stundents and once in a whiele you may have a young man doing community service as as alternative to millitary service,you wil have to pot your Pat. ,wasch them , you will have to clean the devices you have used,and not to forget the paying.................its so poor
We are paid after a pay scale which includes how long you are a german nurse and how old you are.we work 6 Days a week for 7,7 hours a day thats 38,5 per week every outher weekend is yours.
In the OR you usually work from 7-15 pm then are on call or stay in the hospital as emergeny service till 7am then you work the normal shift until 15pm on weekenends we worked from Fr morning 7am till Monday 15 pm...
you dont get extra hours to take off this will be payed.
I work now in one of Germanys renowen migraine clinic with 70 Pat I work from 19:30 -6:45 10/11 nights per month thats about 110 hours per month and I get 1800€ payed now German Tax ,HMO,unemploment insurance ,and paying for pension, tax for being in church, privat nursing insurance everyone has to pay this and beeing married since my Husband earns more then I do I have to take a higher TAx so that we dont have to pay back at the end of the year so I really get 780€ thats about 1000$ Not forget that i`m working 20 years and I´m 38 years old younger and new Grands earn less..
Military is closing down Frankfurt is gone, Rhein main airfield is gone by the end of this year so you will only have Ramstein,Würzburg and Haidelberg I think their closing also and if you a civilian and not a dependent of the army or Air Force I think you will have no chance.
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Monica
nutella, MSN, RN
1 Article; 1,509 Posts
First of all: Nursing in Germany is different but it also depends on the nursing speciality. I worked in CCU `s and especially bigger hospitals are o.k. . General nursing can be a pain - depends on you. German language is necessary in case you want to work in a german hospital and I am not sure if you will be allowed to work in Germany -- we do not share our licenses.
Military hospitals are a good idea. But you could also try to find a position as a research nurse! For this position English is the main language although you might need a little bit German to communicate with patients. Pharmaceuticals and University Hospitals are looking for research nurses.
Were are you going to move?
nutella
I just got another idea:
I know from a lot of hospitals that they need O.R. nurses. In that field you should be able to communicate in German but they have a lot of foreign nurses in the O.R. and most of the doctors are fluent in English anyway. You have plenty of time to learn German at least a little bit. I guess that they will be more likely to offer you a position when you are fluent in German but for positions in the O.R. (or sometimes anesthesia) it does not have to be that perfect. There are also hospitals which have a lot of international clients - they like to have nurses who are perfect in English !
What is your speciality right now? Are you able to do a German class?
ponigRN
2 Posts
My name is Robin and I too am interested in working in Germany. I have partner that lives in Munich and a long distance relationship between Australia snd Germany has proven to be a little difficult. I only speak very limited german definately not enough to have a professional conversation. I also have an american passport, which could help me in getting job in an US military hospital. Unfortunately I'm not registered in the US. My speciality is ICU, in which I have a post-grad certificate. I have been searching the net with very little success. Is there anyone out there that could help me with contacts or numbers that I could use to try and get a job in Germany?
Thank You.
nikki_andre
3 Posts
I am a registered nurse here in the philippines
i already passed my IELTS
and working out for my NLCEX
but i am planning to work in germany so i thought these things seemed not to be important in germany??
Somebody know what are the requirement to work in germany
thank you so much
suzanne4, RN
26,410 Posts
NCLEX is the licensing exam for the US and is not for working in Germany, they have their own exam. To be able to work there and if not a citizen of the E.U., then you are going to need to be able to pass the German language exam as well as their nursing exam. It is also quite difficult to get a visa to work there at this time.
I would do a thorough search about the availability of visa for working there.
ponigRN said:Hi,My name is Robin and I too am interested in working in Germany. I have partner that lives in Munich and a long distance relationship between Australia snd Germany has proven to be a little difficult. I only speak very limited german definately not enough to have a professional conversation. I also have an american passport, which could help me in getting job in an US military hospital. Unfortunately I'm not registered in the US. My speciality is ICU, in which I have a post-grad certificate. I have been searching the net with very little success. Is there anyone out there that could help me with contacts or numbers that I could use to try and get a job in Germany?Thank You.
You would probably be better off trying to teach there, rather than trying to get a license for there. Your language skills would have to be perfect.
Most of the nursing programs would love to have someone with fluent English skills to help their students with their language skills. I would start with that. To get a job at a military facility will usually require a license from a state in the US and passing of the NCLEX exam as well.
babygracy
hi, i am a registered nurse in the Philippines and is married to a Saudi citizen for 3 years now..In 3 months time we are moving to Germany for his Medical Specialization Scholarship.We will be staying in Bonn for his language course and after a year we'll be moving to Giessen for his specialization..I have worked here at Saudi Hospitals as an Emergency Nurse for 6years, my question is, will there be a chance for me to work as a nurse at Germany knowing that my Visa is dependent to my husbands'?Hope you could help me, thanks!