Nursing Degree Curriculum: Differences and Similarities Between 15 European Countries
Abstract
:1. Introduction
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
4. Discussion
5. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Public Involvement Statement
Guidelines and Standards Statement
Use of Artificial Intelligence
Conflicts of Interest
References
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Countries | Graduation Years | Graduation ECTS | Postgraduation Year | Postgraduation ECTS |
---|---|---|---|---|
Germany | 4 | 240 | Included 120 ECTS for the nurses that wished to specialize | |
Austria | 3 | 180 | * | * |
Belgium | 3 | 180 | 1.0 | 60 |
Croatia | 3 | 180 | 1.0 | 60 |
Spain | 4 | 240 | * | |
France | 3 | 180 | 2.0 | 120 |
Greece | 4 | 240 | * | |
Netherlands | 4 | 240 | 1.0 | 60 |
Italy | 3 | 180 | * | |
Poland | 3 | 180 | 2.0 | 137 |
Portugal | 4 | 240 | 1.5 | 90 1 |
Romania | 4 | 240 | * | |
Lithuania | 4 | 240 | 1.5 | 90 |
Estonia | 3.5 | 210 | 1.5 | 90 |
Finland | 3.5 | 210 | 2.0 | 120 |
Countries | Admission |
---|---|
Germany | - 10 years of secondary school education + two years of professional education. - Proof of German language proficiency at B1 level. - University entry exam. |
Austria | - Motivation letter reflecting the candidate’s academic and social potential. - Proficiency in German at B2 level (Common European Framework of Reference for Languages). |
Belgium | - Candidates must hold the CESS (secondary education diploma) or an equivalent recognized qualification (Baccalaureate). - Candidates without a secondary school leaving certificate can take the “Paramedical Jury A1” entrance exam organized by the French Community of Belgium. |
Croatia | - Admission based on achievements in previous education (grades) and results of the State Matura exams. |
Spain | - University entrance exam. |
France | - Admission to one of the 350 Nursing Training Institutes (IFSI) through a competitive examination. - Requires a baccalaureate diploma; graduates receive a State diploma (Bac + 3) after three years of training. |
Greece | - National entrance exam. |
Netherlands | - Secondary education diploma. |
Italy | - Admission exam conducted entirely in English. - Written test includes 60 multiple-choice questions: 12 General Knowledge, 10 Logical Reasoning, 18 Biology, 12 Chemistry, and 8 Physics and Mathematics. |
Poland | - Motivation letter reflecting the candidate’s academic and social potential. - English language proficiency certificate. |
Portugal | - Entrance exam from one of the following sets: - Biology and Geology - Biology and Geology & Physics and Chemistry - Biology and Geology & Mathematics |
Romania | - Motivation letter reflecting the candidate’s academic and social potential. - Admission test comprising 50 multiple-choice questions on Biology. |
Lithuania | - Minimum competitive score: 5.4. - Must pass three state matriculation exams: Lithuanian language and literature, mathematics, and one elective exam. - Average of the five best annual grades (A and B levels) must be at least 7. |
Estonia | - Certificate of secondary or vocational secondary education or an equivalent qualification. |
Finland | - Proof of language proficiency. - Entrance exam or interview (in some schools). - Health prerequisites and a statement of purpose/letter of intent. - Some universities may require letters of motivation and recommendation. |
Countries | Strong Points | Weaknesses |
---|---|---|
Germany | - Interdisciplinary collaboration with other professional groups. - Multidisciplinary and interprofessional solutions to health problems. - Comprehensive theoretical program and a minimum of 1800 h of practical training. - Employer funding possibilities. | - Program is only offered in German. - Limited focus on anesthesia within the curriculum. |
Austria | - Broad spectrum of competencies and highly relevant disciplines such as Nursing Care, Nursing Models and Theories, Psychology, Nursing Diagnostics, and Nursing in Diverse Settings. - Focus on ethics, case management, community care, and quality management. - Strong communication and teamwork skills. | - No specified number of practical training hours. - Only 180 ECTS, with more emphasis on theoretical training than practical skills. |
Belgium | - Use of case-based teaching methods. - Specialized professional titles available through short one-year programs. | - Program is only available in French. - Limited clinical internship opportunities. - Lack of European equivalence. |
Croatia | - Emphasis on lifelong learning and teamwork. - Prepares students to work with diverse cultural and ethnic communities. - Promotes nursing research and collaboration across medical specialties. | - Insufficient training in practical skills. - Limited promotion of continuous lifelong self-training and digital education (e.g., virtual clinical cases). |
Spain | - Focus on autonomous learning and understanding social and multicultural contexts. - Effective communication with patients, families, and colleagues. - Encourages interdisciplinary teamwork and health education. | - Lack of specific knowledge areas in the curriculum. |
France | - Selective entry ensures high-quality candidates. - Individualized pedagogical follow-up and support. - Diverse internship opportunities with possible employer financing. - Prepares autonomous and reflective practitioners. | - Limited opportunities for foreign students or French students with foreign qualifications. - Insufficient schools to meet demand. - Training methods are difficult to adapt to other countries. - Limited focus on quality and risk management for high-risk practices. |
Greece | - Holistic nursing approach across medical fields. - Strong cooperation with therapeutic teams. - Focus on health promotion and participation in health policy implementation. | - Lack of emphasis on lifelong learning and digital training tools (e.g., virtual clinical cases). |
Netherlands | - Emphasis on innovation in healthcare, entrepreneurship, and sustainability. - Use of advanced technologies like 3D printing and simulation training. - High-tech learning environment with a focus on public health. | - Curriculum lacks detailed learning objectives in some areas. |
Italy | - Focus on intra- and inter-professional teamwork. - Evidence-based practice and research integration. - Lifelong learning approach supported by strong foundational training. | - Limited to 180 ECTS. - Only 60 ECTS allocated to internships in some universities. |
Poland | - Strong theoretical foundation and holistic nursing approach. - Skills include developing therapeutic nursing care plans. - Emphasis on prevention and health education activities. | - Limited to 180 ECTS. |
Portugal | - Strong skills in planning, prescribing, executing, and evaluating nursing care. - Focus on research and implementing appropriate intervention strategies. | - Lack of complementary therapies in the curriculum. - Limited inclusion of other European languages. |
Romania | - Courses tailored to clinical specialties and subjects like medical sociology, behavioral sciences, and medical ethics. | - Practical activities do not cover a broad enough range of specialties. |
Lithuania | - Comprehensive nursing science knowledge. - Practical training in laboratories and simulation centers. | - Weak development of social and digital competencies. |
Estonia | - Strong professional skills and e-health system usage. - Practical training in simulation environments before real-world practice. | - Weak development of social and digital competencies. |
Finland | - Integration of research and evidence-based nursing with hands-on professional skills. - Focus on technological advancements and practical training. - Emphasis on critical thinking and relevant research in health and social care. | - Language and communication barriers for foreign nursing students. |
Countries | Language | Optional Curricular Units | |
---|---|---|---|
Yes | Not | ||
Germany | German | * | |
Austria | German | * | |
Belgium | French | * | |
Croatia | * | * | |
Spain | Spanish | Theoretical and practices | |
France | French | * | |
Greece | * | * | |
Netherlands | Dutch and English | * | |
Italy | Italian and English | * | |
Poland | Polish | * | |
Portugal | Portuguese | Theoretical and practices | |
Romania | Romanian and Hungarian | Theoretical | |
Lithuania | Lithuanian | * | |
Estonia | Estonian and English | * | |
Finland | Finnish and English | * |
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Antão, C.; Santos, B.; Santos, N.; Fernandes, H.; Barroso, B.; Mǎrginean, C.O.; Pimentel, H. Nursing Degree Curriculum: Differences and Similarities Between 15 European Countries. Nurs. Rep. 2025, 15, 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep15030112
Antão C, Santos B, Santos N, Fernandes H, Barroso B, Mǎrginean CO, Pimentel H. Nursing Degree Curriculum: Differences and Similarities Between 15 European Countries. Nursing Reports. 2025; 15(3):112. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep15030112
Chicago/Turabian StyleAntão, Celeste, Bruna Santos, Nelson Santos, Hélder Fernandes, Bárbara Barroso, Cristina Oana Mǎrginean, and Helena Pimentel. 2025. "Nursing Degree Curriculum: Differences and Similarities Between 15 European Countries" Nursing Reports 15, no. 3: 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep15030112
APA StyleAntão, C., Santos, B., Santos, N., Fernandes, H., Barroso, B., Mǎrginean, C. O., & Pimentel, H. (2025). Nursing Degree Curriculum: Differences and Similarities Between 15 European Countries. Nursing Reports, 15(3), 112. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep15030112