Academization of Nursing and Its Possible Consequences for Hospital Management in Germany

The history of nursing academization worldwide spans over a century. In Germany, this process started in the early 1990’s and, relative to many other countries, has remained slow. However, some of the latest developments in the country are promising a constant increase in the number of nurses with academic education. Consequently, this process arouses new challenges and opportunities for hospital management. Through a literature review, this paper aimed to give an overview over the progress toward nursing academization in Germany, in comparison with the United States and the European Union. The other objective was to identify examples of the consequences of the process for German hospital management and to design proposals to facilitate adaptation to possible challenges.