Nurses from other departments would know the basics of their profession, said Vogler. However, they would not automatically have the qualification to provide care in the pediatric intensive care unit, for example. "This idea that nursing professionals with their qualifications could be used anywhere in special departments is a misguided thought in the population that must stop," said the President of the Nursing Council.

Many children's wards are currently unable to accept any or hardly any more patients. Lauterbach had therefore announced last week that "staff from the regular adult wards should be transferred to the children's wards". This is particularly the case for nursing staff. In order to make this transfer possible, Lauterbach asked the health insurance companies to temporarily no longer check the minimum staffing levels.

The German Professional Association for Nursing Professions (DBfK) considers this approach to be “unreasonable”. Chairwoman Christel Bienstein told the RND: "The lower limits are the red line that marks the minimum supply." Above all, they served to ensure the safety of patients in the clinics. Going below the limits would be "an enormous imposition on the colleagues - with all the consequences that result from this, including fleeing the profession," said Bienstein.