First generation immigrant and native nurses enacting good care in a nursing home

The Experiences of Migrant Care Workers in Long-term Care Facilities: A Scoping Review

The employment of migrant care workers provides a remedy to face the challenges of increased demand for care of older adults. A scoping review aimed to identify, categorize, and summarize the existing knowledge about migrant care workers' working experiences in long-term care facilities. Identifying gaps in the literature can inform future research. Five electronic databases were searched in April 2024 in addition to a manual search for articles published in English. Forty-five articles were reviewed. A few studies described migrant care assistants' main tasks as assisting physical care and care assistants' characteristics grouped into personal and acquired qualities to provide good quality care. Migrant care workers experienced work satisfaction, achievement, adaptability and adjustment, organizational support, work burden, sense of loneliness, low wages, low social status, and loss of profession. They faced challenges involving inadequate knowledge of palliative care, communication and language barriers, cultural and religious differences, and health concerns. Friendly and discriminatory relationships were found between migrant care workers and stakeholders. Existing evidence regarding the experiences of migrant care workers in delivering palliative care to dying residents or facilitating death preparation is limited. Additionally, there is a notable absence of data from the perspectives of employers and residents on discrimination issues. Further research is necessary to investigate these areas.

Internationally Educated Nursing Staff Caring for Older Adults: A Scoping Study

INTRODUCTION

Internationally Educated Nursing staff (IENs) are born and obtained their initial educational preparation in their home country before relocating to work in high-income countries (e.g., United States). Older adults are recipients of IENs' care. The study purpose was to synthesize relevant findings on IENs' experiences caring for older adults in various settings.

METHOD

Arksey and O'Malley's framework approach to Scoping studies was employed. The PubMed, CINAHL, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and Google Scholar databases were searched. A labor and employment relations researcher and a health science librarian were consulted.

RESULTS

Three main themes (transitional challenges; IENs' experiences working with older adults; factors affecting IEN service delivery) and seven subthemes emerged.

DISCUSSION

Cultural beliefs and communication barriers posed particular challenges to IENs as they worked with Western peers, older adults, and families. Facilitating factors revealed can inform administrative leaders of practice initiatives. Research gaps and limitations identified can guide future study approaches.

Transitioning experiences of internationally educated nurses in host countries: A narrative systematic review

Background

The shortage of nurses worldwide is a well-known issue that has changed the health and social workforce picture. Increased recruitment and migration of internationally educated nurses in the health and social care workforce pose many risks to successful integration into the healthcare system. Understanding the barriers and enablers affecting their integration in their host countries is imperative.

Objective

To critically and systematically review the current literature to explore the transitioning experiences of internationally educated nurses to understand the enabling influences affecting their workforce integration into their host countries.

Design

A narrative systematic literature review was conducted. This study was registered in the International Prospective Register of Systematic Reviews (Registered Number: CRD42023401090). The study results were reported as per the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses guidelines.

Methods

A comprehensive literature search using the search engines CINAHL, MEDLINE, PsycINFO, Academic Search, and PubMed was conducted. Only peer-reviewed papers written in the English language were included. Primary research studies published between 2019 and 2023, which explored the lived experiences of internationally educated nurses, were considered for review.

Results

Seventeen studies (16 qualitative and one quantitative) were included in the review. Three main themes were developed: (1) push and pull factors that mediated internationally educated nurses' migration experiences, (2) one-way integration logic, and (3) expectations versus reality.

Conclusions

There is a need for a comprehensive and collaborative organisational approach to enhance the integration experiences of internationally educated nurses into their host countries. This can also ensure their contribution is recognised and will help them fulfil the responsibilities of their role and become influential team members within their organisations. This comprehensive and collaborative approach is also required to tackle discrimination, racism, communication and language barriers. Addressing these challenges can improve internationally educated nurses' job satisfaction and, thereby, improve retention.

Tweetable abstract

A new systematic review study explores barriers and enablers for optimising internationally educated nurses' experiences of working in their host country @cathy_Henshall @clairmerriman9 @annemarieraffer.

The reported experiences of internationally qualified nurses in aged care: A scoping review

AIM

To examine the experiences of internationally qualified nurses, including those from culturally and linguistically diverse backgrounds, transitioning to and working in the aged care sector of high-income countries.

DESIGN

A scoping review.

DATA SOURCES

CINAHL, MEDLINE and PSychINFO databases were searched to find eligible literature published from January 2010 onwards.

REVIEW METHODS

This scoping review was based on the framework by Arksey and O'Malley and the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. The literature search was conducted by the first author, and all three authors reviewed the retrieved studies for eligibility and inclusion.

RESULTS

Fourteen articles were eligible. Data was categorized into three broad themes: stress of migration and transition; miscommunication, racism and discrimination; and aged care specific challenges which included two sub-themes 'shock of aged care' and 'bottom care'.

CONCLUSION

Internationally qualified nurses, particularly if they are culturally and linguistically diverse, face unique stresses and challenges in aged care and face barriers in the recognition of skills and qualifications. The under-utilization of skills is not only a loss in terms of patient care but is linked to fears of de-skilling, losing professional development and opportunities for career progression.

IMPACT

Internationally qualified nurses are positioned as a solution to aged care shortages in high-income countries; however, there is a scarcity of research exploring their experiences. In the context of the global aged care staffing crisis, an understanding of the stresses and challenges faced by internationally qualified nurses will further strengthen efforts to recruit, support and retain skilled nurses in aged care.

Job satisfaction and wellbeing among migrant care workers in nursing homes: An integrative review

AIM

To systematically analyse and synthesize studies investigating job satisfaction (including turnover and turnover intention) and wellbeing (physical, social and psychological including work stress, acculturation stress and sick leave) among migrant care workers in nursing homes.

DESIGN

An integrated review was conducted.

METHODS

Joanna Briggs Institute's manual guided the analysis of qualitative data (n = 31). Quantitative data (n = 17) were summarized and integrated with the qualitative findings.

RESULTS

Migrants described high job demands, limited control and social support, and stress possibly related to acculturation. Although, compared to natives (born in the country), inconsistent results were reported about wellbeing and job satisfaction, migrant care workers reported enjoying the relational aspects of work and feeling pride when providing care. A satisfying work environment for migrant care workers enables them enjoying working in elderly care with pride.

PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION

Help managers to promote an inclusive working life in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal number 8.

"My Color Doesn't Lie": Race, Gender, and Nativism among Nurses in the Netherlands

Nursing in white-majority populations tends to be associated with white women. Yet as Western Europe and North America undergo demographic shifts, such associations are challenged as people of different racial and national backgrounds take on positions in nursing and other professional roles in healthcare. This article explores the work experiences of nurses from diverse backgrounds as they confront intersecting forms of sexism, racism, and nativism in the Netherlands. We use the conceptual framework of “appropriate labor” to help explain these experiences in connection with the wider climate of Dutch native homogeneity and race and racism denial. These findings have implications for work policies that might better support minority nurses in contexts of increasing superdiversity while also challenging wider cultural norms in the Netherlands that continue to associate nursing with whiteness and deny the presence of racism.