Nurse
Nurses care for sick, injured and elderly people, dress wounds, give medication and work closely with doctors. It is a job with a lot of responsibility and a lot of closeness to people.
Typical tasks
- observing patients and measuring values such as blood pressure and pulse
- helping with personal care, eating and moving
- preparing and giving medication, dressing wounds
- planning care and documenting it precisely
- talking to relatives and advising them
Where people work
Nurses work in hospitals, care homes, home care, rehabilitation centres and doctors' practices. In hospitals and care homes there are also night and weekend shifts.
A good fit if
- you want to help people
- you are a good listener and empathetic
- you stay calm even in stressful situations
- you like working in a team
Education pathways in Austria
Austria now has a nursing Lehre (apprenticeship): it leads to the qualifications of nursing assistant (Pflegeassistenz) or advanced nursing assistant (Pflegefachassistenz) and combines practice in a care setting with vocational school. For registered nursing (the higher level of nursing care) you study at an FH (university of applied sciences) after the Matura (school-leaving exam). In Germany the equivalent is the Duale Ausbildung as a nurse or a degree at a Hochschule für angewandte Wissenschaften, in Switzerland the Berufslehre (EFZ) or a Fachhochschule.
- Lehre
- Training in a company and at vocational school. With 'Lehre mit Matura' it can also lead to university entrance. 2 to 4 years
- Fachhochschule (FH)
- Practice-oriented degree, often with an internship. 3-year bachelor
Matching schools in Austria
We do not keep a school list for these pathways. An apprenticeship (Lehre) takes place in a training company and at a vocational school.
Frequently asked questions
What qualifications are there in nursing?
Austria has three levels: nursing assistant, advanced nursing assistant and registered nurse, with a degree at an FH.
Do I need the Matura for nursing?
Not for the two assistant levels. For the FH degree you need the Matura or an equivalent qualification.
Is the job emotionally stressful?
It can be, because you experience illness and sometimes death. Good teams, conversations and supervision help.
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