- Signor Bertotto, what is the purpose of your visit to Ukraine?
- By July 30, 2004, I want to find one hundred nurses with a bachelor's degree to give them the opportunity to gain two years of work experience in Italian medical institutions. Bertotto & Partners S.r.l is an Italian company licensed to search for and select personnel in Italy and abroad. At the same time, we employ foreign citizens in Italy in accordance with Italian immigration laws (No. 286 of 25.07.1998 and No. 189 of 30.07.2002), which guarantees the absolute legality of employment for participants in this project.
- Is Italy really short of nurses?
- Yes, that is indeed the case. The fact is that this work involves constant communication with sick people and requires responsibility and patience. Girls have to work at night, on weekends and holidays. This makes the profession not very attractive to Italian youth. In addition, Italy has a very difficult training cycle for this profession - almost 30% of students cannot cope and drop out.
Currently, the Italian government is taking a number of measures to make it easier for foreign nurses to work in Italy. These include the new immigration law No. 189 of July 30, 2002, according to which nurses are included in the group of special professions whose representatives are allowed to enter Italy on any day throughout the year an unlimited number of times. Today, about three thousand foreign nurses already work in Italian clinics - from Tunisia, Morocco, Poland, Moldova, and Latvia. And the total need is approximately 40,000 people. So, as you can see, Ukrainian nurses are indeed expected in Italy.
- Tell us more about what the work of a nurse in your country involves?
- As everywhere in medical institutions, a nurse must treat patients according to the doctor's instructions. She keeps a record of all the work performed in a special journal and cooperates with the medical staff of the clinic (doctors, psychologists, medical technicians). And, of course, the girl must find a common language with colleagues, patients, and their relatives.
We recruit Ukrainian nurses under an employment contract for a period of at least two years. Work is expected in both state and private clinics, nursing homes, and other medical institutions. The work schedule is 36 hours per week. With mutual consent of the nurse and the management of the medical institution, this contract may subsequently be extended. During the contract, an annual paid leave of five weeks is provided.
- What requirements are imposed on those who want to work as a nurse in Italy?
- To work as a nurse in an Italian clinic, one must be of legal age, have permission from the Italian Ministry of Health, and know Italian - both spoken and written. Language proficiency is tested by a special Association of Nurses of Italy when a foreign woman arrives at the place of work. This exam does not cause any particular difficulties; everyone passes it quite easily. But I would like to dwell specifically on special training. Ukrainian nurses must have a certificate of secondary education (at least ten years) and a diploma from a medical educational institution in the profession of "nurse". In this case, the duration of study must be at least three years, and the number of academic hours attended must be at least 4.6 thousand, excluding the number of hours in subjects that are not related to the specialty. Of these 4.6 thousand hours, there should be 1.8 thousand hours of theoretical training and 2.8 thousand - clinical practice. Not all Ukrainian nursing diplomas meet these requirements. That is why I emphasize that only nurses with a bachelor's degree can obtain permission from the Italian Ministry of Health to work in Italian medical organizations.
- What rights does a Ukrainian nurse working in your country have?
- According to the law, a legally working foreigner has the same civil rights as a resident of Italy. First of all, this means that the salaries of Ukrainian and Italian nurses are absolutely identical and range from 15 thousand to 17.5 thousand euros per year. This is a "net" amount, that is, after deduction of all taxes. Separate allowances are paid for night work, overtime, and Sunday work. We calculated that foreign nurses, after paying for housing, food, and minor expenses, have about 800 euros left monthly. Also, everyone who works legally in Italy accrues a pension, which can be transferred to their bank account.
In addition, the clinic that hires a foreign nurse is obliged to find her housing (the girl pays for it herself) and pay all travel costs to the country of residence at the end of the contract. It is also important to note that Article 29, paragraph 1 of the aforementioned law gives the right to a foreigner who works legally to invite their spouse and minor children to Italy, who can continue their education in Italian schools.
- Who is your Ukrainian partner?
- I was looking for an organization that would have experience in this area, have a good reputation, enjoy authority, and be willing to take on all the difficulties associated with the successful implementation of this project. That is why I chose the Kyiv Youth Labor Center, a state structure created with the assistance of the city mayor and operating under the auspices of the Kyiv City State Administration. As far as I know, the KYLC has been successfully developing various international projects for over 10 years, offering Ukrainian youth the opportunity to work in European Union countries. Among the advantages of this organization, I would also include the fact that the KYLC conducts training to prepare young people for work abroad and offers foreign language courses.
- How are things going with the selection of medical personnel for your project at the moment?
- I held a number of very constructive meetings with students from several medical universities in Ukraine. I am currently personally preparing the documents for eight nurses from Lviv. There are interesting candidates from Cherkasy, Poltava, and Kherson. Our partners from KYLC will soon open Italian language courses, where the girls will be offered not only a general language course but also instruction in special medical terminology. I brought many textbooks and methodological materials on this topic. Of course, many Ukrainian nurses have questions about their chances of getting this job, so an individual consultation is necessary in each case.
All explanations can be obtained at: Kyiv, Bohdan Khmelnytskyi Street, 78-A, office 101, project coordinator - Myroslava Saukh, tel.: (044) 234-11-95, 235-55-43, 234-59-30.
- What would you wish Ukrainian nurses who decide to go to work in Italy?
- My business ties with Ukraine have been going on for five years, and during this time I have become convinced that your compatriots have an excellent education, a good level of professional training, high responsibility, and a strong desire to work. So it is worth making a little effort - and you will be able to get a good job in your specialty in Italy. Therefore, first of all, I would advise you to be patient and make up your mind to see the matter through to a successful conclusion. The fact is that the process of completing all the necessary documents is quite labor-intensive and takes time. Nurses' documents must be certified by the Ministry of Education of Ukraine, the Ministry of Justice, and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Then the corresponding check is carried out by the consular department of the Italian embassy in Ukraine and the Ministry of Health of Italy. Devote the time it takes to process your documents to studying Italian and preparing for departure. And - see you soon in Italy!