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From Brazil to Germany Raquel’s journey
Innovative solution for recognition
Almost every hospital is lacking pediatric nurses; in some cases, pediatric, neonatology, or pediatric oncology wards even have to be closed due to staff shortages. One reason is the strict staffing ratio requirements of the Gemeinsamen Bundesausschusses (G-BA), which, for example, lead to urgently needed care capacities being discontinued in neonatal intensive care. Only professionals with a qualification in pediatric nursing or a corresponding specialist advanced training are counted. Until now, the recognition in Germany of fully qualified pediatric nurses from abroad has been almost unheard of. TalentOrange has now developed an innovative solution together with Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (UMG).
6500 open positions in pediatric nursing
This was necessary because the shortage is so severe: According to Berufsverband Kinderkrankenpflege e.V., 48,200 pediatric nurses are currently working in Germany - but 6,500 positions in inpatient pediatric and adolescent medicine alone remain vacant. The reasons are varied: experienced nursing professionals are retiring, while demand for pediatric care is rising at the same time. The introduction of generalist nursing training has led to fewer young people specializing in pediatric nursing – currently, they account for only 0.8 percent of nursing trainees.
Generalist nursing training is exacerbating the shortage
This is because pediatric nursing receives too little attention in generalist nursing training: while at least 400 hours must be completed in inpatient long-term care and 400 hours in outpatient care, pediatric care accounts for only 120 hours. And those hours do not even have to be completed in a hospital; they can be completed in a daycare center instead. As a result, graduates would have “not seen any genuinely sick children”; pediatric and adolescent nursing departments in hospitals would then have to provide labor-intensive “additional qualification” for people who are, in fact, already fully trained, said Julia Venzke, a teacher at the pediatric nursing school “Auf der Bult” in Hanover. In April 2026, she submitted a petition to the German Bundestag calling for the retention of specialization in health and pediatric nursing.
The solution: recruiting pediatric nurses from abroad
This is where TalentOrange comes in. Together with Universitätsmedizin Göttingen (UMG), the Frankfurt-based personnel service provider has embarked on a new path: 22 young nursing professionals from Brazil, who had been selected locally by the UMG nursing management, completed a 300-hour internship in pediatrics, neonatology, and pediatric cardiology at a renowned teaching hospital in their home country after passing the B2 German exam. During this time, regular onboarding meetings were held with UMG ward managers – already in German. For example, they discussed how what the professionals were currently learning during the internship is implemented at UMG.
Recognition authority involved from the outset
The Lower Saxony state authority responsible for the recognition of pediatric nurses was involved in the process from the very beginning. It issued the assessment notices accordingly, and UMG established its own adaptation course for this group. The first eleven future pediatric nurses arrived in March 2026. Eight more will arrive in July and another three in October 2026. Due to the high standard of nursing education, Brazil is a highly suitable country of origin for recruiting this professional group. Tilman Frank, Managing Director of TalentOrange, says: “With this innovative approach, we have finally found a solution to meet our clients’ urgent need for pediatric nurses.”
Universitätsmedizin Göttingen is also drawing an initial positive conclusion. Simone Stender, Head of Nursing Services at UMG, says: “We are very satisfied. Everyone in the group speaks German well and is settling in quickly. The recognition pathway for pediatric nursing is working as planned. We are already looking forward to the arrival of the next group.”