Does Being a Visible Minority Matter? Predictors of Internationally Educated Nurses’ Workplace Integration

Abstract

Study Background Nurses continue to migrate to Canada. Majority are visible minorities. Once employed, internationally educated nurses can struggle to integrate into their workplaces. A comprehensive understanding of factors that support internationally educated nurses’ workplace integration is lacking, limiting our ability to design appropriate policies and practices. Purpose The aim is to (1) examine internationally educated nurses’ perceptions of the extent to which they have integrated in their workplaces and the individual and contextual factors that supported their workplace integration, (2) explore whether internationally educated nurses’ perceptions differed by visible minority status, and (3) identify the key factors that predict internationally educated nurses’ workplace integration. Methods Cross-sectional survey of 1215 internationally educated nurses. All were immigrants, permanent residents, and employed as regulated nurses. Multiple linear regression was used to examine the influence of individual and contextual factors on perceived degree of workplace integration. Results Visible minority status had a large, statistically significant negative association with workplace integration ( ß = −0.236, p < .001). Good relationships with coworkers ( ß =0.043, p < .005), and continuing to develop nursing knowledge and skills ( ß =0.178, p < .003), had statistically significant, positive associations with workplace integration. Conclusions Internationally educated nurses’ visible minority status can influence their workplaces. Providing education, managerial support, and mentorship fosters internationally educated nurses’ workplace integration.

Black nurses in the nursing profession in Canada: a scoping review

“…This review highlighted the various policy-related challenges that Black IENs encountered both with immigration to Canada as well as with integration into the nursing profession [ 77 , 78 ]. Professional licensing and registration have reportedly taken years for IENs to have their credentials recognized.…”

“…Collegial issues, tension with management, being treated as an outsider and negative encounters with patients, including physical and verbal abuse, were common issues [ 80 ]. Whereas, good collegial relationships as well as opportunities to enhance nursing knowledge and skills were shown to have a statistically significant positive association with workplace integration [ 77 ]. Everyday work experiences and integration into nursing, corroborate the work of O’Brien Pallas et al [ 81 ] who found that the IEN workforce tended to work longer hours (including overtime) and were more likely to experience physical and mental abuse.…”

“…This review captures how the process of immigration and integration is structured and controlled by social constructs including race, class and gender [ 36 ]. Again, intersectional experiences of discrimination related to race, class or gender, created significant variations amongst IENs across age, gender, work status, type of work and area of practice [ 77 , 83 ]. For example, statistical data [ 77 ] showed that IENs in Ontario were largely found to settle in more urban centres, which is corroborated by findings in this review.…”

“…Again, intersectional experiences of discrimination related to race, class or gender, created significant variations amongst IENs across age, gender, work status, type of work and area of practice [ 77 , 83 ]. For example, statistical data [ 77 ] showed that IENs in Ontario were largely found to settle in more urban centres, which is corroborated by findings in this review. Among included sources, Ontario, which has the largest population of Black people in Canada, contained the majority of the sources regarding Black nurses in Canada.…”

Practical advice for refugees aspiring to become registered nurses in Australia

“…The number of currently employed registered nurses with refugee backgrounds is data that is not routinely collected by the Australian Government during Census. Despite this, there is growing evidence reporting the experiences of RNs who are former refugees nationally (Ng Chok et al, 2018) and internationally (Covell & Rolle Sands, 2020; Khan‐Gökkaya & Moesko, 2021; Neiterman & Bourgeault, 2013; Scannell‐Desch, 2005; Smith & Smyer, 2015).…”