Working in Norwegian healthcare: Polish diploma, authorisation and language requirements

A person with a Polish medical education can obtain Norwegian authorisation without presenting a B2 certificate. However, the employer must still verify that they can communicate safely with patients and the team. A &bdquo;Sykepleien” survey published on 30 September shows that language problems are part of the daily work of many healthcare facilities.

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Working in Norwegian healthcare: Polish diploma, authorisation and language requirements

Although students of economics, art and film studies also come to us, most often they are future Norwegian doctors fotolia

Three out of ten nurses participating in the study report language problems at work every week, and 8 per cent report them daily. As many as 98.2 per cent of respondents consider insufficient knowledge of Norwegian a threat to patient safety. Misunderstandings mainly concern verbal instructions, but also occur in documentation and hospital discharge summaries. Two-thirds of respondents indicate that they result in additional work. Fifteen per cent say they have encountered a situation in which language problems led to harm to a patient. These are accounts from survey participants, not official statistics on medical errors. The stated percentages cannot be applied to all patients or all healthcare workers.

Authorisation confirms professional eligibility

In order to practise a profession requiring authorisation in Norway, you generally need to obtain Norwegian authorisation, known as autorisasjon, or an appropriate licence. Applications are processed by the Norwegian Directorate of Health (Helsedirektoratet). For doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives and pharmacists with relevant qualifications from the EU/EEA, there is a system of automatic recognition of education that meets specified requirements.

You still need to submit an application and document your qualifications. The term “automatic recognition” does not mean that a Polish diploma alone replaces a Norwegian decision. In other professions, such as physiotherapist or helsefagarbeider, the authority compares qualifications with Norwegian requirements. Where there are substantial differences, it may require an adaptation period or an aptitude test.

Does a person with a Polish diploma need B2?

In the authorisation procedure for people educated in Poland and other EU/EEA countries, there is no general obligation to present a B2 certificate. However, there is a requirement for language proficiency sufficient to perform the work safely.

The employer must assess the skills required for the specific position. Helsedirektoratet recommends that recruited staff be able to document Norwegian proficiency at B2 level, both spoken and written. A healthcare facility may set higher requirements.

A hospital or nursing home may therefore require a certificate even from a person who already has authorisation. Both the employer and the employee themselves are responsible for ensuring sufficient language proficiency. A separate procedure involving additional requirements, including language, courses and, depending on the profession, examinations, generally applies to people educated outside the EU/EEA. It should not automatically be applied to graduates of Polish universities.

You need to understand the patient and maintain documentation

Medical work requires the ability to accurately communicate symptoms, understand instructions regarding treatment and explain the next steps to the patient. Communication with people who are hard of hearing or have cognitive impairments is also important. Patient records are generally maintained in Norwegian. Danish and Swedish are permitted if this ensures the safe performance of duties. The use of another language requires special justification and the approval of Statens helsetilsyn. Before accepting an offer, it is worth asking how the facility assesses language skills, what the onboarding process for documentation looks like and whether it provides support in learning medical terminology.

The application costs NOK 1,665

People with foreign education submit an application for authorisation electronically through Altinn. The fee for people educated in the EU/EEA is currently NOK 1,665. Helsedirektoratet states 3 months as the processing time for applications from this group. However, the timeframe for complete documentation does not mean that a decision will always arrive three months after the form is first submitted. Missing attachments may extend the procedure. A job offer alone does not give priority in the queue. The start date for work requiring authorisation should therefore be agreed with the time needed for a decision in mind.

What documents should you prepare?

The list depends on the profession and educational background. For nurses, Altinn lists, among other things:

a diploma;
a diploma supplement or list of subjects;
a certificate confirming that the education complies with minimum EU requirements, the so-called Certificate of Conformity;
any additional documents concerning professional eligibility or experience.

For people with nursing education from Poland, Altinn does not require submission of a document confirming current professional status. This does not remove the requirement to document qualifications. The authority may also request additional information. Attachments should be scans of original documents in PDF format. Photos of documents are not accepted. Before submitting an application, you should check the instructions for your profession, including translation requirements.

Older Polish diplomas require a separate assessment

For nursing and midwifery qualifications obtained under the former system, 1 May 2004 is significant. The regulations take into account both the date on which qualifications were obtained and the start date of education. For older diplomas specified in the regulations, recognition may be possible on the basis of acquired rights. In that case, a certificate of actual and lawful practice of the profession for at least 3 consecutive years during the 5 years preceding the issuance of the certificate may be required. The regulations also provide for a route based on appropriate bridging studies completed with a bachelor's degree. This is not one universal condition for every older diploma. The type of school completed, the documents and employment history are all relevant. The relevant regional chamber of nurses and midwives can help determine which certificate it can issue in a specific situation.

Patients also have the right to understandable information

A language barrier may also affect a Polish person using Norwegian healthcare services. If you do not understand information about a diagnosis, medication or procedure, tell the staff. The healthcare facility is obliged to assess the need for an interpreter and provide such assistance when it is necessary for safe treatment. The cost of necessary interpretation is covered by the healthcare service. Children generally may not act as interpreters. An adult family member should also not replace a qualified interpreter when communicating information requiring medical precision. It is best to report the need for interpretation when making the appointment.

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