Are nurses well paid in Denmark? And more questions about your nurses

I’m a nurse who quit nursing for IT a year ago.

The nurse union is definitely not strong enough. But that has mostly to do with leadership than anything else. IMHO.

No, nurses are not well paid if you only get the basic salary. But if you work evenings, night and weekend shift it can be quite ok. I was working four day weeks, only nights shifts. 30 hours a week. Got around 40.000 kr a month, which is not bad for nursing.

Yes, the government did intervene in the latest conflict, as they have before. It takes some background knowledge to understand why and how they can do that, but though nurses weren’t satisfied, it didn’t spark an uproar or anything.

There were perhaps a few tries to make illegal strikes, but dispite the unhappiness, most people are not willing to risk their jobs, I guess.

No exodus either. Some go to Norway for a short period of time, but I have heard of large groups leaving the country over this.

Most places in Denmark, not only nursing but most places I general, have agreements for calling in sick. You will get paid for all your days sick and no questions asked.

I think “nursing is a calling” is a dead expression these days. But it sure used to be said, and I think it was taken advantage of in some negotiations in the early days. But then again, it used to be a calling and a way of living, devoting every waking hour to nursing, so perhaps it’s understandable, that the expression lived on for so many years.

But no, not anymore.

Disclaimer: Not a nurse and don't know much about nurses so just giving you my generel impression.

Are nurses well paid?

I guess this depends who you ask. A quick search tells me that a freshly educated nurse can expect roughly 4400 USD a month. This is not a bad salary in Denmark. "Well paid"... Hm not well enough if you ask me. It's not bad, could be better.

Are nursing unions strong enough to fight for better conditions for their workers?

Usually, or at least historically, unions have been very strong and effective in Denmark which has lead to generally high salaries. But yes as you note, unfortunately the government stopped a strike by law.

I think on one side there is a political problem in that the politicians did this, which as you note goes against the spirit of unions.

On the other hand, we need to face the reality that there will be more and more elderly people and less and less people to pay for their care. I'm not sure how to fix this but perhaps giving nurses too high of a salary is simply unsustainable. But I do think we can do better.

has there been a nursing exodus to other countries

I believe even before the strike, many nurses took substitute jobs in Norway because it paid better.

Where I am we’re free to call in sick (so far)

Everyone in Denmark is free to call in sick as well. You also usually get the first sick day of your child off.

are nurses in Denmark presented as people who should be happy to have the ‘honor’ of working helping people, meaning pay is not important?

I have never heard of such an attitude.

I know someone who's a nurse. She only work as an on call nurse, which gives much better pay.

She can work 4 days a week for over 40.000 kr a month + vacation (but that one is required by law for all jobs in Denmark)

But nurses who has it as a full time job, doesn't get paid much. But as an argument made by my friend sounds:

If we used the money not on giving raises, but started to hire more nurses, then the job would be much better in itself for everyone. She said, "what are more money worth if your life sucks ass 8 hours a day."