Germany’s health system relies heavily on foreign nurses – the Federal Employment Agency reported that the proportion of foreign caregivers has risen significantly in the last ten years (up to 16 percent as of 2023, and growing).
But foreign nurses and caregivers face challenges at work due to a lack of German-language skills, as well as other systemic issues such as with having their foreign qualifications recognised.
In some cases, foreign nurses begin work while still learning German, the German Nursing Council (DBfK) told Deutschlandfunk radio.
That is causing issues for both the nurses themselves and their German colleagues, who find themselves needing to train their colleagues in technical language on top of their usual duties.
DBfK President Christine Vogler called for binding language standards for nurses.
At present, German-language standards for nurses vary significantly by state.
Language skills are not just about sharing information but about forming relationships at work, DBfK spokesperson Anja Hild told Deutschlandfunk.
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Language barriers and cultural barriers
Hild added that what is really a cultural gap regarding expectations around the role of nurses was sometimes dismissed as a language issue.
Many international nurses have formal medical training in their home countries and are surprised to find that in Germany, nurses are expected to help patients with basic care activities, such as helping them wash, eat, and get out of bed.
“If you don’t know that personal hygiene is considered part of nursing care here, even perfect German won’t help you,” said Koudjo Johnson, Integration Manager at the Ernst-von-Bergmann Clinic in Potsdam.
He added that both language and cultural barriers can be made worse when foreign colleagues are not placed in roles that suit their skills and training. He cited an example of one nurse with trauma surgery experience who was instead assigned to work in an eye clinic – a mismatch that left her feeling undervalued and demoralised.
Johnson suggested that recruitment should be done on the basis of experience, not only need – which would allow workers to feel better valued in their role.
According to a DBfK study, nearly 80 percent of nurses agree that foreign workers are needed in Germany’s healthcare system.
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