What is it like to work as a nurse in Germany?

Torsten · Aug 3, 2004

Germany's healthcare system is under enormous pressure, going through radical changes over the course of the past years. Downsizing, especially of nursing staff, has increased the nurses workload dramatically. I studied nursing in Germany (ADN) and left for Switzerland right after graduation.

There are a lot of fine, highly skilled RN's working in Germany, but their hard work isn't really appreciated by the public, leave alone compensated for financially. A well paying position should allow you to earn 25.000 Euro before taxes, depending on your age and skills. Take 40% off (taxes and social security) and you'll have your estimated net income.

It is always sadening for me to hear, how the situation in German hospitals seems to get worse year after year, as I stay in touch with fellow graduates of my nursing class who still work in Germany.

If you decide to move to Germany, which in certain parts is a very nice country offering good quality of life, check the cost of living and make sure, you can sustain yourself from your income before signing up. A lot of RN's have great difficulties making a halfway decent living in urban areas like Munich from their income.

jjjsps · Aug 6, 2004

Thank You for your detailed response. While I now understand that nurses in Germany are so underpaid I'd like to ask what nurses make in other European countries?

Germany's healthcare system is under enormous pressure, going through radical changes over the course of the past years. Downsizing, especially of nursing staff, has increased the nurses workload dramatically. I studied nursing in Germany (ADN) and left for Switzerland right after graduation.
There are a lot of fine, highly skilled RN's working in Germany, but their hard work isn't really appreciated by the public, leave alone compensated for financially. A well paying position should allow you to earn 25.000 Euro before taxes, depending on your age and skills. Take 40% off (taxes and social security) and you'll have your estimated net income.
It is always sadening for me to hear, how the situation in german hospitals seems to get worse year after year, as I stay in touch with fellow graduates of my nursing class who still work in Germany.
If you decide to move to Germany, which in certain parts is a very nice country offering good quality of life, check the cost of living and make sure, you can sustain yourself from your income before signing up. A lot of RN's have great difficulties making a halfway decent living in urban areas like Munich from their income.

jjjsps · Aug 6, 2004

Torsten's response to conditions in the German Healthcare System triggered this question for me:

How many patients do nurses in Europe take care off, in the Acute Hospital setting, ??

Germany's healthcare system is under enormous pressure, going through radical changes over the course of the past years. Downsizing, especially of nursing staff, has increased the nurses workload dramatically. I studied nursing in Germany (ADN) and left for Switzerland right after graduation.
There are a lot of fine, highly skilled RN's working in Germany, but their hard work isn't really appreciated by the public, leave alone compensated for financially. A well paying position should allow you to earn 25.000 Euro before taxes, depending on your age and skills. Take 40% off (taxes and social security) and you'll have your estimated net income.
It is always sadening for me to hear, how the situation in german hospitals seems to get worse year after year, as I stay in touch with fellow graduates of my nursing class who still work in Germany.
If you decide to move to Germany, which in certain parts is a very nice country offering good quality of life, check the cost of living and make sure, you can sustain yourself from your income before signing up. A lot of RN's have great difficulties making a halfway decent living in urban areas like Munich from their income.

Torsten · Aug 7, 2004

During my ADN coursework in Germany I had rotations in almost every department of my teaching hospital.

ICU was staffed very well, patient-nurse ratio then (1998) was about 2 to 3 patients per RN, day and night. Medical-surgical floors were staffed ridiculously low, in the morning usually 4 to 5 RN's (including the managing nurse, no additonal staff besides nursing students) for up 35 patients. In the afternoon 2 to 3 RN's for the same number of patients, at night just one RN (!).

I work in a psychiatric hospital in Switzerland now. Staffing is generally better than in Germany, but they're starting to cut costs as well now in their healthcare system and that means fewer RN's on the floors among other measures taken to reduce spending.

Torsten's response to conditions in the German Healthcare System triggered this question for me:
How many patients do nurses in Europe take care off, in the Acute Hospital setting, ??

nutella, MSN, RN · Aug 9, 2004

Hi, I just received my RN here in the USA and I am training in Emergency Care. I am also German and I want to know how German nurses feel about their jobs.

Hi,

after having been nurse in germany for 9 years I can tell you that it is like everywhere:

Good and bad jobs, nice and so nice doctors , well paid and poorly paid jobs.

It depends a little bit on your skills how it is, especially working in ICU`s. I worked in different fields of ICU`s and of course it is o.k. if you are well educated and if you have a backround knowledge. That helps you working on your own with a doctor who does not always want to discuss everything because he thinks you are some kind of stupid....

You see - everywhere the same problems, but in the staates are much more posibilities for nurses so I would stay in the staates.

nutella