Foreign Registered Nurses
Did you know that there are over 100,791 registered nurses providing care in the United States which received their nursing training and education outside of the U.S.? According to the Department of Health and Human Services, these foreign educated nurses represent 3.5 percent of the total RN population, are licensed to practice nursing in all fifty states, and are being actively recruited by hospitals and other health care agencies.
A press release from the American Hospital Association has shown that at least 17 percent of hospitals throughout the United States attract and are eventually successful at recruiting and retaining nurses from overseas. This is one of the strategies employed by hospitals to address the acute nursing shortage and fill nursing vacancies. While 17% does not seem as a big percentage, the number of health care organizations looking to employ foreign-educated nurses is expected to increase in the near future. More ideas and solutions are being crafted to address the unique orientation, training, and ethical issues faced by foreign-educated nurses. Some of the issues currently being considered by the Center for American Nurses and health care organizations when recruiting and hiring these new nurses are being presented below.
What are some ethical issues the employer must consider?
One important ethical issue that needs to be addressed by both the employer and the employee is the nursing shortage present in countries from which foreign-educated nurses migrate. Hiring of nurses from countries where nursing professionals are already in short supply means depleting other people of much needed nursing care. The shortage of nurses in the United States is acute and will become worse in the following years, with 8 to 10 registered nurses for 1,000 people. These numbers are high when compared to those in Africa, where there is only one nurse for 1,000 people. There are no restrictions against nurses who want to migrate and work in other countries than their country of origin, therefore the answer to this ethical question rests equally on the employer and employee.
What are some of the benefits of hiring a foreign educated RN?
Every employer wants to hire a dedicated, hard working person. Since foreign educated nurses need to spend between two to four years in order to obtain a U.S nursing license and pass other required examinations such as a test for written and spoken English proficiency, they are no doubt committed to their job and employer. These nurses show key skills such as being flexible, persistent, and open to learning in a new culture. Due to their exposure to different cultures and backgrounds, foreign educated nurses are a rich resource and they are capable of providing culturally competent nursing care. Many hospitals are now considering ways to retain and completely integrate these nurses into communities, while reducing temporary RN staffing.
What are some strategies to attract and hire the best nurses?
Carefully choosing the recruiting company from which foreign educated nurses will be considered for an interview is one of the most important steps in having access to the best nurses available. A superior recruiter will make sure not only to check credentials and speak with the candidate on the phone, but also meet in person with the nurse in their country of origin. Critical thinking, decision making, and nursing credentials should all be evaluated by the recruiter well before deciding if the nurse will enter the potential employee pool.
Currently there are over two hundred agencies recruiting nurses from other countries. A good agency will be able to promptly present a Joint Commission certification which attests its quality as a recruiting company. Good companies have outstanding satisfaction rates, have been recruiting internationally for a long time, and have brought a large number of foreign educated nurses to work in the U.S.
How can a foreign educated nurse be properly oriented to the nursing unit?
In order to make sure the new nurse will function optimally on the nursing unit, special attention should be payed to clarity and fluency of speech. This is one of the most difficult tasks for a foreign nurse but it is easily overcome with the help of accent reduction classes from recruiters and special hospital staff. There are a variety of ways to coach and guide these nurses including listening to audio tapes and practicing alone or with preceptors, staff, and colleagues whenever possible. Clinical skills, procedures, and familiarity with the equipment to be used are assessed and reviewed upon recruitment. Therefore the clinical component of orientation should be no different than that for a nurse educated in the United States.
How to help foreign nurses adjust to the community?
Orientation to the community is just as important as the orientation to the work place. Most of this is accomplished by the recruiting company and it is important that the new nurse is comfortable with the living conditions, transportation, shopping and other important aspects of relocation. In addition, the new nurse should be oriented to U.S culture, and the law, as well as have a designated resource person that will help with any unexpected questions regarding manners or behavior in the new country. Making sure the new nurse can navigate her new surroundings does not only benefit her but also her employer which can look toward gaining a permanent nursing staff member in the future. Foreign educated nurses looking for employment in the United States can find a wealth of support and information to a variety of issues from the Center for American Nurses.
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