Regulated health professions
Registered Nursing (DGKP)
What is Registered Nursing (DGKP)?
- What is Registered Nursing (DGKP) for?
- Nursing, care and advice in illness, care dependency and at the end of life
- Is Registered Nursing (DGKP) legally regulated?
- Advanced health profession (Health and Nursing Care Act, GuKG). Trained as a university Bachelor, formerly as a diploma; listed in the health professions register. Freelance practice possible.
- Does Registered Nursing (DGKP) treat illnesses?
- Yes, within nursing: care and support in illness, some tasks on medical orders. No medical diagnosis or treatment decisions.
Registered nursing (DGKP) is the advanced nursing service. Registered nurses care for, support and advise people of all ages – in illness, after surgery, with disability, in old age and at the end of life. They work in hospitals, care homes, mobile home care and increasingly in their own practices.
For emotional topics, nurses are above all a point of contact when illness, care dependency or worry about a sick relative weighs heavily. They explain, put things in context, relieve family carers and accompany people through difficult phases.
Training today is a Bachelor programme at a university of applied sciences, formerly a diploma. Registered nurses are listed in the health professions register.
Freelance nursing
Registered nurses may also practise freelance and offer services directly. Common examples are nursing advice, advising and relieving family carers, wound care and wound management, continence and stoma advice, diabetes counselling and support with dementia and in the last phase of life.
Specialisations and further training
Many nurses specialise. Common areas include psychiatric nursing (supporting people with mental illness), palliative and hospice care, wound management, diabetes and continence advice, dementia support and paediatric nursing. If your concern points in one of these directions, you can ask for the right specialisation.
What is allowed
- Nurse and care for people in illness, after surgery, in old age and at the end of life
- Independently assess, plan and provide nursing care
- Take on medically ordered tasks such as medication, dressings or infusions
- Guide, advise and relieve family carers
- Run an independent nursing practice
Where are the limits?
- No medical diagnosis and no prescribing of medication
- No psychotherapy; that is reserved for registered psychotherapists
- Some tasks only on medical orders
How to recognise quality
- Listed in the health professions register
- Completed training (diploma or university Bachelor)
- A suitable additional qualification for your concern, e.g. palliative, psychiatry or wound management
- Clear, understandable advice and confidentiality
How it works
- First contactclarify situation, needs and goals
- Nursing and advicecare, guidance and concrete support
- Courseregular support, adapted to the needs