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Nursing · B1–B2–C1 · 7 units

Pflege

A nurse's day on a German ward: the handover, talking with patients, the ward round, the records, relatives, an emergency at night — and the case conference on a patient with dementia.

Nurses and carers working in Germany, or getting ready to — including for the B2 the recognition usually asks for.

  1. 1. Die ÜbergabeB1Give and take a shift handover: who the patient is, what changed, what to watch in the next shift.
  2. 2. Mit Patienten sprechenB1Introduce yourself, ask about sleep and pain on a scale, explain what you'll do and ask permission, and help a patient get up safely.
  3. 3. Die VisiteB1Report values and observations to the doctor in a few precise sentences, ask about medication, and repeat instructions back so nothing goes wrong.
  4. 4. Die PflegedokumentationB2Write nursing records that describe instead of judge — with times, values, what you did and what it did — and correct them the right way.
  5. 5. Mit Angehörigen sprechenB2Calm a worried relative, explain what you may and may not tell them and why, and agree on what happens next.
  6. 6. Ein Notfall in der NachtB2Act and speak calmly after a fall: check the patient, report to the doctor on call in a clear order, repeat the orders and write the fall report.
  7. 7. Die FallbesprechungC1Take part in an interdisciplinary case conference: present a patient, argue for a care measure with clinical, ethical and legal reasons, bring in the patient's will — and write the structured case summary.

The track's words

79 words in its units, and in its word set the words that go with them.

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Working as a nurse in Germany

  • Nursing is a regulated profession: to work as a Pflegefachkraft with training from abroad, you need it recognised by the state.
  • The authority of the federal state (Land) where you want to work checks whether your training is equivalent (Gleichwertigkeit) — in Bavaria, for example, the Landesamt für Pflege, in Baden-Württemberg the Regierungspräsidium Stuttgart.
  • If it finds important differences, you close them with an Anpassungslehrgang (months of supervised practice with some classes, ending in a final examination) or a Kenntnisprüfung (an exam with an oral and a practical part).
  • German at level B2 is commonly required for the licence; some programmes let you reach it during the Anpassungslehrgang. Ask your authority what it needs from you.
  • An advance directive (Patientenverfügung) has to be in writing and can be revoked at any time. If a patient who cannot consent is to be restrained regularly or for a longer time — with bed rails, for example — the legal guardian, or someone whose written power of attorney expressly covers it, must consent, and the guardianship court must approve it as well.
Anerkennung in Deutschland — the federal government's portal on recognition Make it in Germany — the federal government's portal for skilled workers § 1827 BGB — the advance directive § 1831 BGB — restraints need the court's approval

Rules change and depend on your state and your case — the official portals and your authority have the last word.