Nursing as a profession developed informally for many years, and it was not until the second half of the 19th century that the first schools for nurses/technicians were opened. The formal education of nurses/technicians is on an upward trajectory in the last two centuries which has resulted in us now having officially educated nurses at four levels: high school, undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate doctoral level. The aim of this paper is to present and compare the education of nurses/technicians in the Republic of Croatia and European Union member states. In Croatia, education is carried out at four levels: secondary (five years), undergraduate (three years), graduate (two years) with the possibility of enrolling in scientific or specialist studies (four study programs) and postgraduate doctoral studies (three years). In Germany, education is also carried out through four levels: secondary education (three years), undergraduate studies - six study programs (three years), graduate studies - six study programs (two years), postgraduate doctoral studies (three years). In Denmark, education is carried out through undergraduate studies (three and a half years), graduate studies - scientific or specialist (two years) and postgraduate doctoral studies (three years). In Slovenia, education is carried out through undergraduate studies (three years), graduate studies -six study programs (two years) and postgraduate doctoral studies (three years). Nursing education in Bulgaria is carried out through undergraduate studies (three years), graduate studies - three study programs (two years) and postgraduate doctoral studies (one to four years). Comparing the organization of the education system of nurses/technicians, the most common differences are in the duration of individual levels of education, the availability of a number of fields of education, the availability of narrow specialist education as a special level of education and the development of postgraduate doctoral studies. The future of nursing as a profession lies in a scientific approach to the profession, without forgetting its basic principles. Research in the field of nursing will create an evidence-based profession, which builds on the foundations, but also opens space for expanding the educational program.