There is a shortage of nurses in Sweden, but at the same time there are highly trained nursing staff among refugees from Ukraine who could take the job.
One of them is the nurse Maryna Ptitsina, who has both education and long working experience in healthcare in her home country – but due to the bureaucracy, the whole integration is at a standstill.
When the war broke out in Ukraine, nurse Maryna Ptitsina moved with her three children to Stockholm from the city of Mykolaiv. Here in Sweden, she quickly began to learn Swedish and shortly after her arrival she got the job at Hemtjänst Brommaplan.
At home care, she works with simple tasks such as cleaning, shopping and cooking, but wants to work as a nurse, as she has both training and experience in healthcare.
– I have two medical educations, nurse and pharmacist. I worked in Ukraine for 8 years as a nurse. Then I retrained as a pharmacist and worked for 10 years as a pharmacist, says Maryna.
Lack of strength
Despite her education and work experience in the industry, Maryna cannot work as a nurse in Sweden, even though the nursing profession tops this year’s list of shortages in the country.
The latest figures from the National Board of Health and Welfare show that there is now a shortage in all 21 regions and in almost all municipalities.
Maryna tells us that she is overqualified for the job she is doing now and that she can do much more for Swedish society.
– I have 18 years of experience in the industry and know that I am a good specialist. I know so many different medicines.
Must complete course – may not
In order to work as a nurse, Maryna Ptitsina must first complete the course Swedish as a second language. Only then can she get a Swedish nursing license.
Maryna explains that the National Board of Health and Welfare validated her Ukrainian diploma and the next step is a degree in Swedish as a second language, but that’s where it ends. Most municipalities cannot offer teaching in Swedish as a second language for refugees from Ukraine.
As it stands right now, Maryna cannot complete her Ukrainian education.