A Synthesis of the Literature on Asian Nurses’ Work Experiences in the United States

Abstract

Nursing shortages in the United States have underscored the need for foreign nurse recruitment. The major population of foreign nurse recruits has long been Asian. When employing foreign nurses, fair employment practices and quality of care must be ensured; however, few empirical studies were found on this topic. Thus, the purpose of this article is to synthesize the extant literature about Asian nurses' work experiences in and adaptation to the U.S. health care system. The author searched four major bibliographic databases, as well as the ProQuest Dissertation and Thesis Database and analyzed eight empirical studies based on four predetermined inclusion criteria. The major themes identified in the selected scholarly works were: (a) overcoming language barriers, (b) dealing with discrimination, (c) adopting U.S. nursing practices, (d) adjusting to U.S. social customs, (e) becoming accustomed to U.S. culture, and (f) reconciling work ethics. Additional research studies, using both quantitative and qualitative approaches, are necessary to gain in-depth knowledge related to this phenomenon.

‘Being young’: a qualitative study of younger nurses' experiences in the workplace

“…Important in the New Zealand context given New Zealand's growing reliance on internationally qualified nurses largely from Asia, particular challenges were described by the Asian participants in the study. While other studies have found the language difficulties experienced by Asian nurses in English‐speaking countries have been among the greatest challenges faced by these nurses (Lin 2009; Takeno 2010), it was the Asian nurses' respect for hierarchy that presented challenges for the nurses in this study. The characteristics of Generation Y such as independence and wanting a voice in the workplace (Dols et al.…”

Speaking up, being heard: registered nurses’ perceptions of workplace communication

“…However, while nursing literature is replete with articles on cultural competence and language difficulties, there is little actual research supporting a link with willingness to speak up. In a synthesis of the literature on Asian nurses work experiences in the United States, Lin (2009) noted the relative dearth of empirical studies on Asian nurses’ adaptation to work in the US. Language difficulties may pose a more significant barrier to speaking up.…”

The global Filipino nurse: An integrative review of Filipino nurses’ work experiences

“…Work‐related difficulties experienced by Filipino nurses highlighted communication, the use of colloquial terms and dialects, which is not a new occurrence for migrant nurses (Lin, ; Xu, ). However, it is evident that specific difficulties were experienced by these Filipino nurses in using country‐specific nursing abbreviations and terminologies and in understanding unfamiliar English accent or jargons.…”