Detailed description
The profession of geriatric nurse is regulated in Germany. This means that in order to work as a geriatric nurse in Germany, you need a state permit. With the permit, you can use the job title “geriatric nurse” and work in the profession. You can also apply to use the job title “geriatric nurse specialist”.
Even if you have a professional qualification from a so-called third country, you can still obtain state permission from the relevant authority in Germany. Third countries are all countries that are not part of the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA) or Switzerland. To obtain permission, you must have your foreign professional qualification recognized.
On January 1, 2020, nursing training was reformed in Germany and the new Nursing Professions Act came into force. There is a transitional period for the recognition of foreign professional qualifications on the basis of the Elderly Care Act. Your foreign professional qualification may still be temporarily recognized under the old Elderly Care Act until December 31, 2024. The responsible authority will advise you.
During the recognition process, the responsible body compares your professional qualification from abroad with the German professional qualification and checks their equivalence. The equivalence of the professional qualification is an important prerequisite for the granting of state permission.
You can also forego an equivalence test and complete a knowledge test or an adaptation course directly. In this case, the responsible body will not carry out an equivalence test.
In addition to the equivalence of the professional qualification, you must also fulfill other requirements for the permit to be granted.
If your professional qualification comes from the EU, EEA or Switzerland, different rules apply.
You can also apply for the procedure from abroad.