For nurses
What to expect in Germany
Nursing in Germany is often different from nursing at home. We want to tell you before you start what daily work is like. Then you can make a good decision.
Long-term care
Many jobs are in nursing homes (Pflegeheime) or with home care services (ambulante Dienste). Older people live there or receive care there, often for many years.
- Basic care (Grundpflege) is part of the job: washing, dressing, helping people eat and helping them move.
- You get to know the residents well. For many nurses, this is the best part of the job.
- Nurses in Germany have a lot of responsibility. For example, they plan the care (Pflegeplanung) and guide nursing assistants.
Language
In daily life, you talk with older people. They often speak a dialect, and some have dementia. This is why good German is the most important thing. A certificate alone is not enough. You keep learning after you arrive. Many facilities offer courses.
The first months
The first months are hard for many people: a new job, a new language, the authorities, homesickness. This is normal. Talk about it – with your facility or with us.
- Many facilities give you a flat at the start or help you find one.
- Many facilities have a contact person for international colleagues.
- We answer your questions about the authorities, housing and daily life. You can also write in the evening and in your own language.
What you should bring
Patience
Many things take longer than expected, especially with the authorities.
Interest in the language
The better your German, the easier everything becomes.
Openness
Work, weather, food and manners are different. Not worse, but different.