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The nursing shortage: solutions for the future of care!
Prof. Dr. Hildegard is retiring from the University of Vechta and is continuing important research projects on care integration.
The nursing shortage: solutions for the future of care!
Prof. Dr. Hildegard Theobald began her retirement from the University of Vechta at the end of March 2025. However, her life's work and research continue, particularly through a study on the role of migrant caregivers in elderly care. mynewsdesk.com reports that her research work specializes in organizational gerontology, with a strong focus on the conditions of nursing care for older people.
Her current research aims to examine the influence of caregivers with a migrant background. An international comparison of political approaches in the area of care will be carried out. The challenges of 24-hour care and the concept of (social) care from gender studies are also used as a theoretical framework.
Demographic challenges and care needs
The need to explore the importance of nursing staff has been heightened by the pressing nursing shortage in Germany. According to information from bpb.de There is already an alarming increase in the need for care, which is being exacerbated by demographic developments. In 2022, there were around 100 registered positions for registered nurses, but only 33 unemployed people. Forecasts indicate that there could be a supply gap of almost 500,000 skilled workers by 2035.
A key factor contributing to the exacerbation of the problem is the economization of the health and care system. The working conditions in nursing are characterized by high time pressure and shift work. This leads to insufficient recognition of professional nursing work, which in turn contributes to dissatisfaction and high turnover among professionals.
Integration of immigrant nursing staff
In order to counteract the nursing shortage, the immigration of nursing staff is seen as a possible solution. Measures have been taken to lower immigration barriers, such as the Western Balkans regulation since 2016. In addition, the “Triple Win” program has recruited more than 4,162 nursing staff from non-EU countries to Germany from 2010 to May 2023. In 2022, around 23,000 nursing staff from these countries worked.
However, the integration of these immigrant nursing staff into the German nursing sector is associated with challenges. They are often confronted with problems with the recognition of their foreign qualifications. In order to be recognized as a specialist, many German language skills must reach the B2 level, which often acts as an exclusionary criterion. This leads to many qualified workers working below their potential and increases the risk of discrimination in everyday work.
Everyday racism, which is expressed in hierarchization and devaluation towards migrant nursing staff, also contributes to the strain on nursing relationships. It is therefore crucial not only to attract workers, but also to promote their sustainable integration into the care industry. Company support for the recognition of qualifications and language acquisition is essential.
The human dimension and the complex challenges in the field of nursing make Prof. Dr. Hildegard's research all the more relevant. Their study on recognition and the hurdles that migrant nursing staff encounter in everyday working life is scheduled to be completed in September 2025 and is expected to provide important insights into the nursing situation in Germany.