what is a nurse?
As a nurse or nursing professional, you take care of people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. Your workplace is typically a hospital. However, you can also work in other healthcare or social institutions. These include, for example, rehabilitation clinics, retirement and care homes, facilities for people with disabilities, and psychiatric clinics. In your role as a caregiver, you treat wounds, administer medications, assist patients with personal hygiene, and monitor their health status. Additionally, you are often the first point of contact for your patients and their families when they have questions, concerns, or needs.
You are specifically responsible for the following tasks:
- personal care (e.g., washing and dressing of patients)
- medical care for patients (e.g., administering medications, setting up infusions or catheters, changing dressings)
- support for doctors during examinations and follow-up treatments
- managing the patient record
For a job as a nurse, you need to have good empathy and enjoy working with people. You should be a communicative person and like working in a team. It's also important that you are resilient under stress, because your work is literally a matter of life and death. This can be quite demanding at times. At the same time, it gives you a great sense of inner satisfaction when you can help people on their path to recovery and feel their gratitude towards you.
Are you interested in a job as a nurse? Then read on to find out what you do in this important profession.
nurse jobsworking as a nurse.
Your work as a nurse is very diverse. You come into contact with many different people, each requiring their own kind of care. But what exactly can you expect in your daily routine in nursing? In the following section, we’ll give you an insight into your tasks.
-
your area of responsibility
Your professional duties include, among other things, the following tasks:
- Patient care: Personal care is an important part of your work. Many patients have difficulty taking care of themselves. Therefore, you assist them with dressing and undressing, personal hygiene, and eating. You accompany patients who are unsure on their feet during their daily activities and support them with a helping hand when needed.
- Administering medications: You give the patients the correct medicines in the prescribed dosage, following the doctor’s orders. Even though you deal with many different patients every day, you keep track of who needs what.
- Medical care: As a caregiver, you perform not only the administration of medications but also other medical procedures. For example, you set up infusions and urinary catheters, draw blood, apply plaster casts, and assist with wound care. Your responsibilities also include installing and operating medical devices.
- Monitoring patients: You keep an eye on your patients. If a patient's condition changes, they complain about pain, or they can't tolerate a medication, you immediately inform the responsible doctor so that they can take the necessary measures.
- Communicating with patients and their relatives: You talk with your patients to find out how they are doing and inform them about the care measures. Additionally, you prepare the patients for hospital discharge or, if necessary, a transfer. Depending on the situation, you also involve the relatives of the patient in your conversations.
- Complete administrative tasks: It might not be your favourite activity, but as a nurse, you also need to handle administrative duties. It's especially important to accurately document the care measures you’ve taken and to record your observations about the patient's condition in the patient record. Additionally, you organise discharges and transfers, and coordinate collaboration with other healthcare professionals.
-
who are your colleagues?
As a nurse, you are at the heart of our healthcare system. To ensure optimal care for patients, you collaborate with other nursing staff. You discuss the necessary care measures with the responsible doctors. Depending on your role, you may also supervise less experienced nursing and auxiliary staff on your ward. Additionally, you work together with other healthcare professionals, such as physiotherapists, ergotherapists, speech therapists, or nutritionists.
types of nurses.
As a nurse, you can work in various roles at hospitals, rehab clinics, nursing homes, or home care organizations.
You also have the option to specialise in certain areas of nursing, for example in the following fields:
- Emergency care: As an emergency nurse, you are responsible for the admission, care, and initial assessment of emergency patients.
- Intensive care: As an intensive care nurse, you are responsible for caring for patients with life-threatening illnesses and injuries.
- Anesthesia nursing: As an anesthesia nurse, you assist with general and local anesthesia procedures and monitor the condition of anesthetized patients.
- Operations care: As an operating room nurse, you prepare the surgical instruments and assist the surgeon during a medical procedure.
- Oncology nursing: As an oncology nurse, you take care of the nursing and support of cancer patients.
- Psychiatric nursing: As a psychiatric nurse, you care for people with mental health issues and help them to reintegrate into everyday life.
- Geriatric care: As a geriatric nurse, you support older people who suffer from age-related ailments and dementia in managing their daily lives.
- Palliative care: In palliative care, you support people suffering from an incurable illness and help them have a dignified final phase of life.
salary as a nurse.
If you work in a public hospital, your salary is set out in the staff regulations. Otherwise, you are often covered by a collective employment agreement that stipulates certain minimum wages.
-
how much do I earn as a care worker in a permanent position?
The amount of your salary depends on your training, experience, and responsibilities. Below, we've compiled the average wages for the main nursing professions:
- Nursing professional: As a qualified nursing professional with a diploma from a higher technical college, you can expect a salary of around 73,500 Swiss francs per year. With a university of applied sciences degree, your average earnings as a nursing professional are approximately 82,500 Swiss francs.
- Health care professional (HCP): With a qualification as an HCP, you typically earn a bit more than 57,500 Swiss francs per year. If you take on special responsibilities such as training apprentices, your salary increases to around 63,000 Swiss francs.
- Care assistant or care helper: As a care assistant with a professional certificate, you earn roughly the same as a FaGe. Meanwhile, as a care helper, you bring home just under 52,000 Swiss francs.
In nursing, you also work night shifts and weekends. For that, you receive a shift allowance or extra time off. Even last-minute assignments are often compensated with an additional allowance.
-
where do I earn the most as a nurse?
Basically, the more specialised your work is, the higher your salary. You earn more in hospitals and clinics than in retirement and care homes. If you work as a healthcare professional with Spitex, your salary is even a bit higher than in the hospital sector. However, this only applies to public Spitex services. Private Spitex organisations often pay significantly less. There are also salary differences between the cantons: you earn the most in Zurich. In Ticino, as well as in Western Switzerland, the salaries tend to be lower.
training and further education as a nurse.
The best foundation for working in nursing is a diploma from a higher technical college or a Bachelor's or Master's degree in nursing from a university of applied sciences. If you have studied at a higher technical college or a university of applied sciences, you are entitled to call yourself a registered nurse. To gain admission to a higher technical college, you need a completed apprenticeship with a Federal VET Certificate (EFZ) or the Matura. For university of applied sciences studies, the Matura or a diploma from a higher technical college in nursing is required. If you lack practical nursing experience, you must complete a twelve-month nursing internship either before, during, or after your university of applied sciences studies.
For work in nursing, there is also an apprenticeship that lasts three years and concludes with the Federal Diploma of Higher Education as a healthcare specialist (FaGe). During the apprenticeship, you work in a hospital or another healthcare institution and attend vocational school. As a FaGe, you are subordinate to licensed nursing professionals. They can delegate medical tasks to you, such as administering medications. However, there are certain activities, like performing blood transfusions and some infusions, that you are not permitted to carry out. After completing the apprenticeship, you have the option to obtain a nursing diploma through a two-year shortened program at a higher technical college. Part-time, the training takes three years.
If your talents lie more in practical than theoretical areas, you can pursue a two-year certificate apprenticeship as a care assistant. Another accessible entry point into the healthcare sector is training as a care helper. This is mainly offered by the Red Cross and includes 120 hours of theory plus a care internship lasting between 12 and 15 days. As a care assistant or helper, you're only allowed to perform basic caregiving tasks. However, with some work experience, you have the option to complete a shortened two-year vocational training to obtain the Federal Diploma of Vocational Education and Training (EFZ) as a FaGe.
what further training opportunities do I have as a nurse?
Hospitals, professional associations, higher vocational colleges, and universities of applied sciences offer a wide range of courses to keep your expertise up to date. Additionally, you have the opportunity to specialise. For example, you can take the higher vocational examination as a specialist in oncology, psychiatry, or geriatrics nursing. At the higher vocational college, you can also pursue programmes in surgical technology or postgraduate studies in intensive care, emergency, or anaesthesia nursing. At the university of applied sciences level, there are also postgraduate programmes, including fields such as wound care, rehabilitation nursing, or care management.
positions as a nurse.
Since at the latest the COVID-19 pandemic, we know: Not only banks are systemically important, but also healthcare. Unfortunately, there is currently a significant shortage of healthcare staff. Unfortunately? Well, actually, that’s good news for you. Because the shortage of skilled workers gives you the opportunity to choose from a wide range of job offers and career paths. For example, you can decide whether you prefer to work with children, adults, seniors, people with disabilities, or individuals with mental health issues. Depending on your preferences, you can choose between different workplaces: hospitals, specialised clinics, nursing and retirement homes, care facilities, or home care organisations. There are more than enough open positions for nurses and nursing staff.
positions for career changers as nurses.
You don't have any training in the healthcare sector but still want to work as a nurse? No problem. A good starting point for a career switch into nursing is attending a training course as a nursing assistant offered by the Swiss Red Cross. This course prepares you within a few days to perform basic caregiving tasks. After gaining two years of professional experience in nursing, you can pursue a shortened apprenticeship as a health specialist. Another way to enter the nursing profession is by completing the three-year training as a registered nurse at a higher technical college, while working simultaneously in an apprenticeship position. To do so, you need to have a high school diploma or an apprenticeship certificate.
career opportunities and development potential as a nurse.
As a nurse or nursing professional, you have various career options available to you. For example, you can specialise in a particular area during your career, such as intensive care, oncology nursing, or palliative care. You also have the opportunity to take on leadership responsibilities. The first step is to assume a team leader role. As a team leader, you manage a small team consisting of healthcare professionals, nursing assistants, or care helpers. At the same time, you remain actively involved in patient care. Other possible career levels include ward manager and head of nursing services. Additionally, as a nurse, you can become a trainer and pass on your expertise to the next generation of healthcare workers.
skills as a nurse.
As a care worker, you should enjoy working with people and have good empathy. Additionally, you need the following skills:
- Teamwork: Caring for and treating patients is a collaborative effort. That's why it's important that you work well with your colleagues.
- Communication skills: Good care requires that you are able to establish a connection with the patients.
- Stress resistance: You often work under tight deadlines and sometimes have to make quick decisions. Therefore, you need a high level of physical and mental resilience, as well as the ability to stay calm and collected even under stress.
- Good powers of observation: Sometimes it's the small details that indicate a deterioration in the patient's health. Having a keen eye is therefore essential.
- Clean work: Cleanliness and hygiene can mean the difference between life and death in the nursing profession.
benefits of working as a nurse at randstad.
There are many good reasons to work as a nurse at Randstad:
✓ exciting jobs with well-known companies
✓ a reliable contact person whenever you need one, personal advice really matters
✓ attractive employment conditions and good social benefits
✓ continuing education courses and personal development opportunities
✓ clear information in the myRandstad app
✓ do you have a fixed-term contract? Often, there’s a chance to secure a permanent position afterwards. Many popular companies also recruit their staff directly through Randstad.
your further training budget as a nurse with randstad.
If you work as a nurse for Randstad, you have access to further training courses. As part of the TempTraining program from swissstaffing, you can attend training sessions. You will get the course fees reimbursed later, provided you pass the course exam. Your Randstad consultant is there to support you if you have any questions. This way, you can acquire additional language skills or job-specific knowledge, all during your working hours as a nurse.
application tips for nurses at randstad.
Have you found your dream job as a nurse? Not only qualifications and certificates determine the success of your applications. Careful, error-free, and personalized documents will definitely help you in your job search. Here are a few useful tips to improve your chances:
-
1. finding a job as a nurse
Search through the Randstad job offers. If you don’t find a position that’s exactly right for you, you’re still welcome to get in touch with us personally without any obligation or to create a Randstad profile.
-
2. applying as a nurse
The job ad continues right away: apply online, give us a call, or send us an email.
Make sure your documents are complete.✓ CV with photo
✓ work references & diplomasYou don't have a CV yet or only an outdated version? Create a new layout using a free online template.
-
3. preparing for a job interview as a nurse
A good preparation helps you stay calm during your interview as a nurse. Here are some tips for your job interview.
frequently asked questions.
Do you have questions about a career as a nurse? Here you'll find the answers.
-
what does a nurse do?
As a nurse, you take care of people suffering from illnesses and disabilities. You assist them with eating and personal hygiene, measure blood pressure, administer medication, set up infusions, and much more. A detailed description of your duties as a healthcare professional can be found further up on this page.
-
how much do I earn as a nurse?
As a qualified nursing professional with a diploma from a higher technical college, you earn an average of 73,500 Swiss francs per year. If you hold a Federal Certificate of Competence as a health care worker (FaGe), you can expect a salary of around 57,500 Swiss francs. You’ll earn a bit less if you start in healthcare without a diploma or apprenticeship qualification.
Are you looking for a position as a nurse with fair pay conditions? Then have a look at our job listings.
-
is nursing a good profession?
If you're interested in health and enjoy working with people: yes. Of course, you're also faced with challenging situations like incurable illnesses and death. Helping people in difficult circumstances gives you a deep sense of inner satisfaction. Plus, you often feel a great sense of gratitude from your patients.
Do you have a big heart for other people? Then search here for a care job.
-
what is the difference between a healthcare professional and a health specialist?
As a healthcare professional, you have completed a higher vocational school or university of applied sciences, whereas as a health care worker (FaGe), you have completed an apprenticeship. Typically, you work as a FaGe within a team led by a registered nurse or nursing specialist. You are able to perform many nursing tasks independently. However, certain procedures, such as administering blood transfusions, are reserved for qualified nursing staff. Further up on this page, you can find more information about the different training pathways that lead to a career in healthcare.
-
do I need experience to work in healthcare?
Not necessarily. As a career changer, you could, for example, complete a short training course to become a nursing assistant, which qualifies you to perform basic care tasks. If you have a Matura or a completed vocational training, you also have the option as a career changer to pursue a higher technical college (HTL) qualification to become a registered nurse. During your training, you will already be working in a hospital or another healthcare facility.
Are you looking for an entry-level job as a nurse? Then have a look at our job offers.
-
what requirements do I need to meet to become a nurse?
As a nurse, you need to be a friendly and communicative person who can easily connect with patients. You should have a good eye for detail and be able to work cleanly and hygienically. Besides that, it's important to stay calm under pressure and to fit well into the team.
Are you meeting these requirements with ease? Then don't hesitate and check out our job listings for a nursing position
-
how do I apply for a vacant position as a care worker?
Applying as a nurse is quite straightforward: Create a profile on Randstad and browse our job listings for available positions in your area. Then, send us your CV and cover letter.
Need help with your CV or cover letter? Here are some tips for your application.
