Cases

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Committee Foreign Degree Holders (CBGV)

Advicecommittee to the Minister of Health in the Netherlands

Warsaw, Poland, January 14th 2003, mr. Niels P. Wijkhuijs, secretary CBGV

Process of RecognitionForeign Degree Holders

2

(CASE 1)

Diploma (1992): female, Iran nationality, refugee Shedid Beheshti University in Iran (four years)“Bachelor of science”

Practical Experience: 1992-1993: Clinical centre in Iran (obligatory social service) 1994: license 1994-1998: midwife clinic in Iran

Nuffic (Naric)educational level about four years (non-university) higher education

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders Entrancelevel of the training: about the same level The education does not compare with the training level in the Netherlands

Lacks training in skills with characteristic elements of the Dutch training: riskselection and policy, organization of medical care, homedeliveriy, independent professional practise. These elements are of essential importance to practise midwivery in the Netherlands

Curriculum contains subjects like “physical education”, “foreign language”, ”Farsi”, “Islamic culture”, “Persian literature” and “history of Islam”

Midwife Iran

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(CASE 1)

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders Practical experience:

no practical experience in the last five years difference between Iranian and Dutch practice on riskselection and

policy, homedeliveries and independent professional practise: no compensation

Advice from the Committee Foreign Degree Holders Not equivalent: no level by training and experience that is equivalent or

almost equivalent to that of a Dutch midwife Advice to send her to a educational institute for additional training,

based on the Dutch requirements. It’s up to these institutes to decide on the level of entrance into the training.

A good working knowledge of the Dutch language is essential for working in health care. The diploma “Dutch as a second language (NT2-II) is required for an additional training but – according to the Committee – not enough for working is health care.

Decision from the Minister of HealthNot yet!

Midwife Iran

4

(CASE 2)

Diploma (2000): male, Belgium nationalityProvincial Secondary School in Belgium (three years)“Psychiatric Nurse”

Practical Experience: 2000 – to-day: in Holland as an “assistant-nurse”

Nuffic or Colo (Naric)no advice asked

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders At least ten years general education? Yes. The committee has made inquiries about his education and professional

experience in a talk with the applicant Three years secondary vocational training in the direction ‘psychiatric

nurse’: comparable to the “old” Belgium training en does not compare to Dutch requirements (based on EU-directive and ‘Qualified for the future’).

No practical workperiod during the training on mental disabilities, rest of practical workperiods: short and apparantly no practical practice in a general hospital.

Restricted areas: no clarity on nursetechnical actions during the training.

Nurse Belgium (I)

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(CASE 2)

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders Practical experience:

the practical experience is of recent date but of a short period

Advice from the Committee Foreign Degree Holders According to 92/51/EU (General System): essential differences Adaptation period or aptitude test (choice applicant):

in case of an adaptation period, the committee advises to let this consist of professional practice in de categories ‘clinical care’ (especially oncology), ‘maternity, ‘child and youthcare’ and ‘homecare’.

Decision from the Minister of HealthBy adjustment of the European Sectoral Directive 77/452/EU – by2001/19/EU – this diploma is put newly on the list of diplomas(automatically recognized). The date of this diploma is before thisadjustment.The applicant has some professional experience, but not “three out of five”(required rights). If he can hand over an declaration from the BelgianAuthorities, stating that his training meets with the European requirementsof 77/452/EU, he will be registered into the BIG-register.

Nurse Belgium (I)

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(CASE 3)

Diploma (1996): female, Belgium nationalityDepartment Childnursing, Katholic Higher Education Institute Kempen in Belgium’:“Graduate Childnurse”

Practical Experience: 1997-2001: in Belgium as a childnurse

Nuffic or Colo (Naric)no advice asked

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders At least ten years general education? Yes. Comparison:

Three years of training in the direction ‘child nurse’ does not compare to Dutch requirements (based on EU-directive and ‘Qualified for the future’): the training does not include the carecategories: psychiatry, geriatry, mental disabilities, chronically ill and homecare.

Nurse Belgium (II)

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(CASE 3)

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holdersthe practical experience is of recent date but only in the fields of neonatology and pediatry (onesided).

Attention!In the file a declaration (November 2002) from the Belgian Authorities was included, stating that this training was of at least three years higher education as foreseen in 89/48/EU (General System).After the applicant found out that the Committee was to conclude ‘essentialdifferences’, the applicant send in a new declaration (November 2003) from the Belgian Authorities, stating that this diploma replaces the diploma of ‘Graduate hospitalnurse’ as on the list of Sectoral Directive 77/453/EU

Advice from the Committee Foreign Degree Holders According to 89/48/EU (General System): essential differences Adaptation period or aptitude test (choice applicant) Gather Information from the Belgian Authorities about the two different

declarations on the General System and the Sectoral Directive.

Decision from the Minister of HealthNot yet!

Nurse Belgium (II)

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(CASE 4)

Diploma (2000): female, Uruguayan nationality public Medical Higher Education Institute (registered nurse A), not

finished 18 months vocational secondary training (nurse B, ‘carenurse’) Three and a half years training ‘registered nurse A’ at private Medical

University in Montevideo, Uruguay.

Practical Experience: As “carenurse”: 1996-2000 As ‘registered nurse A’ since January 2001

Nuffic or Colo (Naric)no advice asked

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders At least ten years general education? Yes. The committee has made inquiries about the education and

professional experience in a talk with the applicant Based on both trainings: theoretical and practical hours (and total)

compare to Dutch requirements (based on EU-directive and ‘Qualified for the future’).

The carecategories ‘clinical care’, ‘surgery’, ‘psychiatry’, ‘homecare’ are included, but to a lesser level.

Nurse Uruguay

9

(CASE 4)

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders Practical experience:

the practical experience is of recent date and partly compensates the differences in training

Advice from the Committee Foreign Degree HoldersAlmost equivalent to the Dutch training: the applicant can be registered inthe BIG-register under a clause of working for half a year undersupervision in psychiatry and for half a year under supervision in a generalhospital.

The recent professional experience of the applicant compensates thecarecategory of ‘homecare’ in the training. Besides: the applicant wants towork at a department ‘Internal kidneydialysis’ in a hospital ‘homecare’ not needed.

Decision from the Minister of HealthAlmost equivalent, claused registration in the BIG-register: half a yearsupervision ‘psychiatry’ and half a year supervision ‘general hospital’.

Nurse Uruguay

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(CASE 5)

Diploma (1994): male, Ethiopian nationality, refugee Three years training ‘Nursing Technician’, Health Polytechnical Institute

in Cienfuegos op Cuba. Additional training of one year in anesthesia.

Practical Experience: 1995/1996: parttime as ‘anesthesia and resuscitation’-nurse.

Nuffic or Colo (Naric)no advice asked

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders At least ten years general education? Yes (probably).

Not enough theoretical and practical hours (and total) compare to Dutch requirements (based on EU-directive and ‘Qualified for the future’).

The carecategories ‘geriatry’, ‘mental disabilities’, ‘chronically ill’ are included in the training.

The additional training in anesthesia is one-sided and doen’t compensate the differences in training.

Nurse Cuba

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(CASE 5)

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree HoldersPractical experience: the practical experience is not of recent date and only parttime for the period of a year.

Because of obscurities, the committee has made inquiries about the education and professional experience in a talk with the applicant

Advice from the Committee Foreign Degree HoldersBased on the documents and the talk with the applicant: not equivalent to the Dutchtraining: the applicant can not be registered in the BIG-register: the training is mainly technical, carecategories are missing, no patientcontact and no independent practical practice. No compensation by professional experience. Advice to send him to a training institute for additional training, based on the

Dutch requirements. It’s up to these institute to decide on the level of entrance into the training.

A good working knowledge of the Dutch language is essential for working in health care. The diploma “Dutch as a second language (NT2-II) is required for an additional training but – according to the Committee – not enough for working is health care.

Decision from the Minister of HealthNot equivalent, send to training institute for additional training

Nurse Cuba

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(CASE 6)

Diploma (September 8th 1978): female, Danish nationality‘Sygeplejerske’ (Danish language)

Practical Experience: 1979-1988 fulltime nurse in Denmark 1988-1996 parttime nurse in Denmark since 1996: no practical experience

Nuffic or Colo (Naric)no advice asked

Decision and advice of the Committee Foreign Degree Holdersno advice asked by Minister of Health

First decision from the Minister of HealthDiploma ‘Sygeplejerske’ is listed in Sectoral Directive 77/452/EU, but her diploma dates before the mentioned date of June 27th 1979.The applicant has professional experience but not of recent date; no clause “three out of five” (required rights) Offer: to participate in a specific course for nurses with a diploma frombefore the mentioned date

Nurse Denmark

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(CASE 6)

Second decision from the Minister of Health Based on the newly given information by the applicant and juridical

advice, the minister states that a declaration by the Danish authorities – stating that this training meets with the EU-requirements – is also sufficient for automatic recognition in the BIG-register.

Such a statement is given by the Danish authorities and added to the file

The applicant can be registered in the BIG-register Additional advice to take part in the specific course for nurses, because

of her lack of professional experience in recent years.

Appeal Claim: compensation for the damage (no work in the Netherlands), caused by the unnecessary belated decision by the Minister of Health. appeal dismissed

Higher appeal compensation allowance for the clerkcosts – no other compensation –

because the ‘right term’ of four months was not mentioned in the information, send by the Minister of Health.

Nurse Denmark

14

(CASE 7)

Diploma (1988): female, Romanian nationality ‘Diploma de Bacalaureat, profilul Sanitar’ ‘Certificat de absolvire a Scolli Postliceale, specialitatea Asistent

Medical Generalist’

Practical Experience: Seven years on a department ‘neurosurgery’ in Romania Parttime in Italy in ‘homecare’ and in a home for ‘psycho-geriatic en

psychiatric patients’ Since December 2002: as ‘carenurse’ in the Netherlands.

Nuffic or Colo (Naric)no advice asked

Decision of the Committee Foreign Degree HoldersBoth trainings together don’t meet the required hours and carecategories in theNetherlands. The conclusion would be to reject her application: not equivalent.

Based on additional information about the professional experience and copies of certificates of courses, the applicant was invited for a talk with the applicant

It appeared that her diplomas were acknowledged and registered in Italy (EU-member).

Nurse Romania

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(CASE 7)

Decision and advice of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders

The fact that the applicant is registered in Italy, based on an acknowledgment of her Romanian diplomas in Italy (no Italian diploma),means that a decision has to be made by the Minister of Health within three months.

Advice of the Committee Foreign Degree Holders

Still in progress: at present juridical talks on two separate ways

essential differences? not equivalent? adaptation period send to training institute aptitude test for additional training

Nurse Romania

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Information & questions:

Mr. N. (Niels) P. Wijkhuijs

secretary Committee Foreign Degree Holders

PO Box 16114

2500 BC The Hague

The Netherlands

Telephone: 0031-70-3406156

Fax: 0031-70-3405105

E-mail: np.wijkhuijs@minvws.nl

Website: www.buitenlandsediplomahouders.nl

(English pages under construction)

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