Immigration: Why Is It Still Up for Discussion?

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).…”

Are Foreign-Trained Nurses Perfect Substitutes for U.S.-Trained Nurses?

“…Partially because of these concerns, entry of foreign-trained nurses into the United States is highly regulated, and their share among RNs, around 3 to 5% in recent decades, is far less than the share of foreign-trained professionals in other health fields or in other high-skilled occupations (Kaushal and Fix 2006; Chen et al 2013). While the government has sometimes eased immigration policy for nurses during periods of shortages, professional nursing organizations argue against greater immigration and dismiss the proposition that foreign-trained nurses provide a viable solution to what they view as a long-term nursing shortage (Joel 1996; Glaessel-Brown 1998; Berliner and Ginzberg 2002; Trucios-Haynes 2002; Brush et al 2004; Lafer 2005; Blakeney 2006; Lovell, 2006; Chen et al 2013).…”

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

“…many international nurses have not been exposed in their home countries to the professional nursing practice models so highly valued by U.S. nurses (Yi & Jezewski, 2000). Consequently, U.S. nurses worry that an influx of international nurses might undermine the working conditions and standards of professional practice that they have long sought (Joel, 1996;Williams, 1992). This concern is evident in part by opposition of the American Nurses Association (ANA) in 1995 to an extension of the Immigration Nursing Relief Act and by its support for amendments that limited application of the Nursing Relief for Disadvantaged Areas Act of 1999 (ANA, 1996a;1996b;Stewart, 1998).…”