German nurse here who doesn’t want to work at the bedside. Continuing education’s called Weiterbildung here and lasts up to 1 year instead of the regular 3 required for a regular Ausbildung (Apprenticeship).

What most Germans do afaik: they find a company or institution that pays for this continuing education (Weiterbildung), so they learn both practice and theory at the same time and are officially hired after they’ve finished it. This is what I’m trying to do.

Plan B would be to do this Weiterbildung myself: I’d ask for financial assistance from the federal government, which in my case would cover 50% of my education expenses and reduce the hours I work for my hospital to 8 hours per week not to be fired, but there would be no guarantee that I’m hired after I finish the Weiterbildung to leave the bedside.

As much as I hate working with patients, I like the hospital, 'cause I don’t have to commute much.