KOCHI: With nurses from Kerala finding it tough to find placements overseas, the United Nurses Association (UNA) is giving a helping hand by assisting them to secure jobs in Germany.T he major focus of the association had been on well-paid employment for nurses from its very beginning. UNA themselves has come up with solutions to employ the nurses in the state given they pass two steps. One, they must learn German and two, they must qualify according to the criteria put forth by the German government.
“Every year, over 6,500 qualified nurses pass out in the state. Employment for all of them with good payment is one of the major issues the nursing field is facing at present. Last year also saw some nurses who had participated in the protests led by UNA demanding a wage revision losing their jobs. This was when we met the representatives of German medical sector while on a meet in Abu Dhabi,” said Jasmin Sha, president, UNA.
Germany is heavily under-equipped when it comes to nursing staff with over two lakh vacancies. This is where UNA comes in.The applicants will have to file the application individually. However, UNA will guide them in every step of the way.
“UNA is now in touch with MA 24, a medical company in Germany. They have hospitals and clinics in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. Anyone below the age of 45 can apply if they have GNM or B.Sc Nursing qualification. Ma 24 has an approved agency in India with whom we are working. Nurses are spending lakhs of rupees falling for the agency agendas. With UNA, we will help them get the job with the required qualifications and the necessary expenses only,” said Sha.
The expenses will be only for the A1, A2 and B1 language tests, passing which is necessary to get a job in Germany, certificate attestation and travel insurance and a few other basic payments.The members of the association will help with the expenses.
“They are good with recruiting freshers too. The nursing students finish their courses with huge loans and being unable to find a well-paid job is a severe blow to their families dependant on them. We hope to change this,” said Sha.