Specialists for Pediatric Nursing

Innovative solution for recognition

There is a shortage of pediatric nurses in almost every hospital; sometimes pediatric, neonatology or pediatric oncology wards even have to close due to staff shortages. One reason is the strict staffing ratio requirements of the Federal Joint Committee (G-BA), which, for example in neonatal intensive care, lead to urgently needed care capacities being taken out of service. Only professionals with a qualification in pediatric nursing and corresponding specialist further 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 University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG).

6500 vacancies 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 unfilled. The reasons are varied: experienced nursing professionals are retiring, while at the same time demand for pediatric care is rising. The introduction of generalist nursing training has led to fewer young people specializing in pediatric nursing – currently, only 0.8 percent of nursing trainees do so.

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. Graduates would then have “not seen any really sick children”; pediatric and adolescent care departments in hospitals would have to provide extensive “additional qualification” to people who are supposedly already fully trained, said Julia Venzke, teacher at the “Auf der Bult” School of Pediatric Nursing 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: professionals from abroad

This is where TalentOrange comes in. Together with University Medical Center Göttingen (UMG), the Frankfurt-based staffing services provider has taken a new approach: 22 young nursing professionals from Brazil, selected locally by 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, monthly 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. Kirsten Brodowski and Ursula Sanz, heads of the pediatric intensive care unit, say: "Through the online meetings, we all got to know each other well in advance, and our anticipation of meeting one another kept growing. We were also able to follow the progress in language training month by month, almost live." A particular success of this onboarding process: none of the selected talents dropped out during the process, all passed the B2 exam and entered Germany. After arrival, each talent was assigned one or two buddies from the existing team.

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 official assessment notices accordingly; UMG established its own adaptation course for this group. All participants complete placements in neonatology, pediatric cardiology, child and adolescent psychiatry, pediatric psychosomatics, general pediatrics, pediatric oncology and pediatric surgery. "They also have to complete three weeks in geriatric care," says Sanz, "that could not be avoided."

UMG wants to remain a Level 1 care center

The first eleven future pediatric nurses arrived in March 2026. Another eight will arrive in July and three in September 2026. Due to the high standard of nursing education, Brazil is a highly suitable country of origin for recruiting this professional group. "After the adaptation course, all our talents will complete the two-year specialist further training in pediatric intensive care," says Simone Stender, the responsible nursing manager. This is because ensuring Level 1 center care for premature infants under the 32nd week of pregnancy requires a sufficient number of specialized pediatric nursing professionals on every shift. "We are achieving this by recruiting this group from Brazil," says Simone Stender. The pediatric intensive care unit at UMG has 20 beds, of which currently only 15 can be occupied. Thanks to the professionals from Brazil, this is set to change again.

"We laugh more."

Tilman Frank, Managing Director of TalentOrange, says: “With this innovative approach, we have finally found a solution to our clients’ urgent need for pediatric nurses.” University Medical Center Göttingen also draws a positive conclusion. Nursing manager Simone Stender says: “We are very satisfied. Everyone in the group speaks good German and is settling in quickly. The recognition pathway for pediatric nursing works. We are already looking forward to the arrival of the next group.” She says they are all eager to learn and work proactively. The two ward managers have noticed something else as well: "Although our work here is sometimes quite serious and difficult, the atmosphere has improved because of the many young people and their joy for life. We laugh more."