Does International Nurse Recruitment Influence Practice Values in U.S. Hospitals?

Abstract

These findings challenge a prevailing sentiment that international nurses hold values inconsistent with professional practice models as defined in the U.S. context. These findings also show that absence of a professional practice environment will produce similar high levels of burnout in both U.S. and foreign-born nurses. To address the nursing shortage, administrators should ensure that organizational attributes are consistent with a professional nursing practice environment.

Effect of immigrant nurses on labor market outcomes of US nurses

“…However, immigration of nurses has long generated concerns among health professionals, nursing advocates, and policy analysts about its consequences (Joel, 1996; Glaessel-Brown, 1998; Trucios-Haynes, 2002; Brush et al, 2004; Lovell, 2006; Blakeney, 2006). Specifically, there is concern about how foreign-trained nurses will affect the quality of patient care, the labor market opportunities of US-trained nurses and the supply of nurses in the sending countries (Immigrant Nurse Relief Act, 1989; Glaessel-Brown, 1998; Trucios-Haynes, 2002; Brush et al, 2004; Lovell, 2006; Aiken et al, 2001; Flynn and Aiken, 2002). …”

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

“…Although recruiting foreign nurses is one way to help alleviate nursing shortages in the United States, health care facilities should also attempt to mitigate their nursing shortages by addressing existing facility problems. For instance, Flynn and Aiken (2002) suggested that a lack of positive professional practice environments is a strong predictor of nurse burnout, regardless of the nurses' country of origin. Based on the reviews of the eight scholarly works chosen for inclusion in this article, the following areas were identified for discussion: (1) standards for hiring FNG, (2) cultural issues, (3) communication barriers, and (4) ethical issues.…”

“…Asian nurses also often felt alienated and rejected during their initial stage of adjustment to living and working in the United States (Dicicco-Bloom, 2004;Yi & Jezewski, 2000). Racism or other types of discrimination may frustrate or anger FNG, which may then negatively affect the quality of care they provide patients (Flynn & Aiken, 2002) and their own quality of life (Dicicco-Bloom, 2004). …”

“…The health care institutions that recruit FNG should follow specific guidelines, such as the ones advised by the ICN (2007), to protect the employing countries and benefit patients, FNG, domestic staff, employing facilities, and exporting countries (Gamble, 2002). Hiring institutions should also ensure that an affirmative and professional setting is in place to avoid nurse burnout, regardless of the nurses' countries of origin (Flynn & Aiken, 2002).…”

International Nurse Migration: Impacts on New Zealand

“…O 'BrienPallas and Wang (2006) also found IRNs worked longer hours and more overtime, and identified other negative impacts on the individual nurse including verbal, emotional, and physicial abuse. Although underemployment has been justified by concerns regarding quality of nurses and safety of the public (Kingma, 2006), Polsky et al (2007) concluded that, as they are more likely to hold bachelor's degrees, IRNs are not of lower quality, and Flynn and Aiken (2002) found no statistical differences between IRNs and their U.S. counterparts in professional practice values.…”