Criticism of shortened nursing training: Quality of care at risk?

Criticism of shortened nursing training: Quality of care at risk?

There is movement in the nursing industry: a new draft law on the training of nursing assistants is currently causing discussions. Loud buten and within The duration of training has been reduced from the previous 24 months to just 18 months. This was brought to the attention of the Bremen Chamber of Employees, which sharply criticized this proposal. The chamber fears that shortening the training period could have a negative impact on professional skills and the quality of care.

“There is something going on,” is the attitude of the Bremen Chamber of Employees, which, together with the Saarland Chamber of Employees, pointed out the concerns in a statement. Both chambers are calling for the shortened training period to be abolished and are instead advocating for the original 24 months.

Uniform standards for the future

The draft, which was approved by the Federal Cabinet on September 4, 2024, aims to introduce uniform nationwide standards for nursing assistant training. The new rules should apply from 2027 and bring about a fundamental reform that standardizes the training of nursing assistants. A total of 27 training courses regulated by state law will be replaced by the new nursing assistant law, which is intended to create a clear structure bmfsfj.de reported.

The new regulation also has positive sides for future trainees: for the first time, a uniform competence profile will be introduced, which more clearly regulates the distribution of tasks between nursing specialists and nursing assistants. The goal is to noticeably increase the qualifications and responsibility of nursing assistants. In addition, the training should be designed to be practical through compulsory internships in various areas - from inpatient long-term care to acute care.

The great need for nursing staff

A look at the numbers makes it clear how urgently changes are needed in nursing training: around 1.7 million nursing staff work in Germany, but only 1.1 million of them have formal nursing training. Loud bundesgesundheitsministerium.de Between 2016 and 2022 there were only 3,000 new applications for training positions in the nursing assistant and assistant professions, while the demand for nursing specialists skyrocketed. This deficiency could be overcome by introducing new specialist assistant training, which aims to attract more people to the profession and improve career opportunities within the system.

In addition, the initiators of the reform see opportunities to improve the recognition of foreign nursing staff, which is of great importance given the increasing shortage of skilled workers. From 2027, new training for nursing assistants will open up exciting perspectives and ensure that entry into the nursing profession is strengthened. A positive step towards a healthier and future-proof care landscape?

The coming years will show whether the new training structure can guarantee the desired quality and quantity of skilled workers. Concerns about the shortened training period are not unfounded; The exchange between the chambers will certainly continue in order to find the best solutions to the challenge at hand.