Tom(29)

I worked five years as a nurse at MUMC+ in Maastricht. The work was tough, appreciation minimal and the salary disappointing: €2,400 net for irregular shifts, night shifts and weekend work. When a colleague told me that nurses in Germany earn up to €800 more per month, I started researching. Within six months I had a job at a hospital in Mönchengladbach.

The biggest hurdle was the Anerkennung — recognition of my Dutch nursing diploma in Germany. You must have your diploma assessed by the Bezirksregierung in the state where you'll work. In North Rhine-Westphalia that's the Bezirksregierung Düsseldorf. The process took four months and cost €200. I had to have my diploma, course list and internship hours translated by a sworn translator. Eventually my diploma was fully recognized — Dutch nursing programs are highly regarded in Germany.

The salary was the main reason for my move. At the hospital in Mönchengladbach I earn €3,500 gross in regular shifts, with supplements for night and weekend shifts that comes to €4,200 gross. Net I keep €2,900 — that's €800 more than in Maastricht. Additionally I get thirteen monthly salaries and Urlaubsgeld (vacation bonus) of €1,500. The Krankenkasse is shared with my employer, just like in the Netherlands.

Mönchengladbach is not a glamorous city, but it's affordable and practical. My one-bedroom apartment costs €620 Warmmiete. The city is 30 minutes from Düsseldorf and 20 minutes from the Dutch border. I still regularly visit Maastricht for family and friends — it's closer than many Dutch commuting distances. The Anmeldung was simple, the Steuer-ID came within three weeks, and my employer arranged the Krankenkasse.

Work culture in a German hospital differs from the Netherlands. The hierarchy is stricter: the Chefarzt (chief physician) is an authority, and as a Krankenpfleger (nurse) you address a doctor as "Herr Doktor" or "Frau Doktor." The Pflegeschlüssel (staffing ratio) is slightly better than in the Netherlands, but still tight. What impressed me: Fortbildung (continuing education) is taken seriously and fully reimbursed by the hospital.

After a year in Mönchengladbach I have no regrets. The salary is better, the workload comparable, and I live more cheaply. The only downside: German patient records still rely heavily on paper and fax. Yes, fax. In 2024. The digitalization of the German healthcare system is years behind the Netherlands. But the Krankenkassen are working on the Elektronische Patientenakte (ePA), so there's hope. My tip for Dutch nurses: do it. The Anerkennung takes effort, but the difference in salary and appreciation is worth it.