Permeability and educational paths in nursing

The permeability of educational paths is of great importance for various reasons. On the one hand, educational advancement can counteract the consolidation of intra- and intergenerational social conditions. On the other hand, in times of a high shortage of skilled workers, it is essential to make it as easy as possible to obtain the qualifications urgently needed on the labour market and to strive for an approach that is broadly based on the division of labour in terms of the competencies of the employees required for the respective work step (skill grade mix).

The education, training and further education landscape in nursing can currently be characterised by a lack of permeability and connectivity to the educational system. In order to counteract this, far-reaching changes are also underway, including the introduction of primary qualifying nursing studies and the switch from special to general nursing training (Pflegeberufegesetz), the implementation of model projects for the transfer of medical activities to appropriately qualified nursing staff (Gesundheitsversorgungsweiterentwicklungsgesetz) and the Arbeit-von-Morgen-Gesetz, which wants to provide incentives for lifelong further qualifications parallel to employment and within the framework of transfer companies or during short-time work and unemployment through extended funding opportunities.

Against this background, the study aims to investigate the educational system in nursing with regard to its permeability. A distinction is made between theoretically possible and actual transitions between relevant educational paths, especially

• Transitions from general school to assistant training or specialist training or to a primary qualifying university degree
• Transitions between assistant training and specialist training
• Transitions between specialist training and university studies as well as
• Transitions between further education and university studies.

In terms of a holistic examination of the research topic, different stakeholder perspectives and data sources are evaluated. While the actual permeability of the educational system is analysed using qualitative empirical survey methods (guideline-based interviews and narrative interviews as well as focus groups), a document analysis serves to record the theoretically possible permeability.