Albania has no shortage of nurses, but 15 public and private universities offer opportunities to study due to the demands of the German and Italian market.
Nurses cite good employment opportunities and favorable working conditions as reasons for emigration. Integration in other countries involves the challenge of language and culture, but security and economic independence are the reasons why hundreds of nurses choose to live and work abroad.
Author Clevin Muka
"I have been living and working as a nurse in Germany for three years. Employment here has not been difficult at all, because it has been made possible by an Albanian agency. I have never tried to get a job in Albania, of course because of very low salaries and political nepotism.
Lenida Braho is one of thousands of Albanian nurses who are living the German dream. Immediately after completing her studies in Albania, she began her efforts to work in the country known as the economic engine of Europe.
According to the Order of Nurses, from January to November 2023, 1.104 nurses, out of 25.204 registered with this body, have applied to leave the country.
The good news is that the number of nurses looking to leave is not reflected in shortages in the health system. From the requests made by ACQJ for all regional hospitals in the country, only 2 of them reported vacancies. In total, at the national level, there are currently only 36 nurses missing.
The Regional Hospital of Gjirokastra has two shortages. There are 36 nurses missing from the staff of QSUT, which are expected to be filled through the portal Nurses for Albania.
UHC
Scheduled nurses 1.301
Nurses employed 1.265
The numbers are negligible, if you look at the number of graduates every year from universities in the country.
In 2022 alone, 1.970 nurses graduated from Albanian universities, 1.336 from public universities and 634 from private universities. This figure is 28% higher than two years ago.
41 study branches were closed in the new academic year 2023-2024 in all public universities in the country (Civic Attitude), but the opposite happens with Nursing. For 2022, 12.865 students applied for General Nursing, Nursing-Physiotherapy and Nursing-Midwifery in all universities in the country, giving life to public universities and increasing the number of students.
Public universities
- University of Medicine of Tirana
- "Aleksandër Moisiu" University, Durrës
- "Aleksandër Xhuvani" University, Elbasan
- "Fan S. Noli" University, Korça
- "Eqrem Çabej" University, Gjirokastër
- "Luigj Gurakuqi" University, Shkodër
- "Ismail Qemali" University, Vlora
Private universities
- Catholic University "Our Lady of Good Counsel"."
- "Aldent" University"
- The private university "Albanian University"
- European University of Tirana
- University College "REALD"
- "Luarasi" University"
- Western Balkans University
- "Barleti" University"
For 2022, the number of students enrolled in Nursing is 2.839, marking an increase of 37.2% compared to two years ago. There are a total of 15 universities that offer Nursing as a program, among them 7 state and 8 private.
of your cityGerman walnut, as escape fromor the local reality
Armelda Ago is a nursing student at the University of Tirana. Wearing a white apron has been her childhood dream, but if earlier she sought to fulfill the dream in Albania, today she sees the dream come true in Germany.
"I'm sorry, but I don't know if our best is here. When I first came, I came with a burning desire to stay and serve my country, but that desire has faded; not my fault, but the circumstances. It is a question that, every time it is addressed to me, I have a question mark, because I love my country very much, I really want to serve my country and my people, but circumstances sometimes condition us." With eyes on the West is also Juventila Basha , also a Nursing student at the University of Tirana, who sees England as the ideal place to realize her dreams.
"I have tried several times to convince myself to practice the profession as a nurse in Albania, but, facing more and more uncomfortable situations every day, this thought comes and goes, especially in a country where there is no the nurse's right is recognized, where the tiring work and responsibilities that a nurse bears are not appreciated, that's why I decided to continue my life and career outside of Albania.
The great desire of Nursing students to emigrate is also reflected in the requirements of the agencies that mediate their employment.
"According to my experience in these three years in the recruitment of qualified Albanians, I see that the interest grows every day, since, according to them, they are not satisfied to develop their profession in Albania", says Xhoana Sita, CEO of the company Remany GmBH.
According to the president of the Order of Nurses, Blerina Duka, there are two main reasons why nurses want to leave, more employment opportunities and favorable conditions and wages. Besides Germany, the "second paradise" of nurses is Italy.
But what is the reality faced by Albanian nurses after they immigrate to Germany?
"The beginnings in Germany were certainly not easy. It is a new culture, more precisely, a mix of cultures from many different countries; another language and a way of functioning and organization totally different from Albania. Now, after three years, I am certainly satisfied with the security and economic independence that this country provides", says Lenida Braho, who works in Stuttgart.
Although Prime Minister Rama has promised a salary of 72 ALL for nurses, it is still incomparable to salaries in Germany.
"The average payment at the beginning is 2.400 euros gross per nurse assistant, while, after receiving the license, it is 2.800-3.600 euros gross per month. Their benefits are experience with modern and contemporary equipment, as well as the health system. They feel more secure, since dismissal only happens for major reasons, and they are notified 3 months in advance for staff reduction", says Xhoana Sita from Remany GmBH.
Salary increase is among the government's main policies to attract nurses, while another element is the ongoing education process of nursing staff and the improvement of working conditions for them, including infrastructure, medical equipment, instruments, etc.
The Nurse Order suggests 5 points as policies to keep nurses in the country, starting with government salary increases, more investment in hospitals and health centers, increasing and improving working conditions and protocols and profiles, but not leaving after continuing education training from the Nursing Order.
"We have a very beautiful expression in our books, which says: "Doctors are the brains of the hospital, while nurses are its heart", which means that nurses are the ones who are in constant contact with patients and she what they are looking for is respect, dignity, more worthy appreciation for these people, who suffer so much and are appreciated so little", says Armelda Ago, Nursing student, University of Tirana.
The government is at war with time to implement its policies, while in front of it there is a competitor, who has been benefiting from these policies for a long time, getting ready and qualified staff without expenses.
This article is part of the Investigative Journalism Laboratory project, which is financially supported by the Public Relations Office of the US Embassy in Tirana. The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the Department of State.
