Organizational support in the recruitment and transition of overseas‐qualified nurses: Lessons learnt from a study tour

The migration of nurses has been a global phenomenon, and the integration of overseas‐qualified nurses within host countries has led to debate worldwide. Evidence suggests that support provided by organizations can vary and that there is minimal information on the nature and extent of organizational support required to enhance a smooth transition of overseas‐qualified nurses into nursing practice. This explorative study tour examined the organizational support provided to enhance overseas‐qualified nurses' transition into the nursing workforce in two countries. The various support mechanisms provided to overseas‐qualified nurses in different organizations include transition, acculturation, mentoring programs, and initial settlement assistance. The successful transition of overseas‐qualified nurses into a host country is a complex issue. A robust support system for these nurses should be based on ethical considerations and a team approach that is linked to strong leadership. In addition, education and support for existing staff is essential for a successful transition of overseas‐qualified nurses into practice. Lessons learnt from this study tour might also be relevant to the transition of other overseas‐qualified health professionals, such as doctors and allied health professionals, in host countries.     

Locally targeted initiatives to recruit and retain nurses in England

AIM: The aim of this study is to provide a detailed account of the locally targeted strategies to improve staffing levels by senior nurses responsible for recruitment and retention in acute trusts in the National Health Service in England. BACKGROUND: There is a shortfall in nursing numbers throughout England. Some trusts have employed senior nurses with a specific remit to improve recruitment and retention, but little has been published about their work or its success. METHODS: Data were collected by telephone using semi-structured interviews with standard probes. The tape-recorded interview data were transcribed verbatim and analysed by content. RESULTS: Of the 156 acute trusts in England, 36 employed a senior nurse to deal with recruitment and retention. Twenty-nine were interviewed. All were using a range of locally targeted initiatives to attract and retain health-care assistants, newly qualified and more experienced practitioners. They also worked closely with university staff to attract and retain student nurses who would later seek employment locally. Different approaches were used to secure the services of different types of staff. CONCLUSION: This exploratory study has revealed a wealth of valuable data concerning locally targeted recruitment and retention strategies. Further research is needed to examine the effectiveness and cost-effectiveness of the initiatives described.     

Generation-specific incentives and disincentives for nurses to remain employed in acute care hospitals

Aim This is a report on generation-specific incentives and disincentives selected by acute care nurses that promote and discourage them to remain employed in hospitals. Background Recent literature indicates that nurse preferences for strategies to promote their retention may differ across generational cohorts. However, current literature is primarily anecdotal with few studies focused on evidence-based generation-specific nurse retention-promoting strategies. Methods Data were gathered from a cross-sectional survey administered to a random sample of 9904 registered nurses working in Alberta and Ontario, Canada. Two survey items asking nurses to identify preferences for incentives to remain employed and disincentives that encourage them to leave employment were included. Survey items were based on information gathered from previous focus groups exploring determinants of nurse retention. Results There were statistically significant differences in the rates of selection across generations of nurses for eight of 10 incentives to remain employed and for eight of 15 disincentives. All generational cohorts selected the same two incentives most frequently: reasonable workloads and manageable nurse–patient ratios. Two of the three most frequently selected disincentives were the same across generations: inadequate staffing and unmanageable workloads. Implications for nursing management Leaders should implement and evaluate strategies that ensure workloads are reasonable and nurse–patient ratios are manageable to promote retention among all generations of nurses in the acute care hospital workforce.     

Being different: A phenomenological exploration of a group of veteran psychiatric nurses

Concern regarding the low numbers of graduate nurses expressing interest in entering the psychiatric field leads to the question: who would be a psychiatric nurse? In this interpretative, phenomenological study, the lived experiences of seven veteran psychiatric nurses were examined in order to gain understanding of the reasons why they had remained in the field of psychiatric nursing. Each of these participants had more than 10 years' clinical practice in psychiatric nursing and shared a wide range of thoughts, memories, and experiences. The major emergent theme, ‘being different’, revealed what it is like for the participants being psychiatric nurses. These participants felt and saw themselves as different in many ways from other nurses and from society in general. Related to and an aspect of that difference was the high level of satisfaction they achieved from their role and the striving to achieve harmony.     

Organizational commitment, work environment conditions, and life satisfaction among Iranian nurses

Employee commitment to the organization is a crucial issue in today's health-care market. In Iran, few studies have sought to evaluate the factors that contribute to forms of commitment. The aim of this study was to investigate the relationship between nurses' organizational commitment, work environment conditions, and life satisfaction. A cross-sectional design was utilized. Questionnaires were distributed to all the staff nurses who had permanent employment (with at least 2 years of experience in nursing) in the five hospitals affiliated to Birjand Medical Sciences University. Two hundred and fifty participants returned completed questionnaires. Most were female and married. The correlation of the total scores of nurses' affective organizational commitment and work environment conditions indicated a significant and positive relationship. Also, a statistically significant relationship was found between affective organizational commitment and life satisfaction. The implementation of a comprehensive program to improve the work conditions and life satisfaction of nurses could enhance their organizational commitment.     

临床护士感知组织氛围与工作投入的关系分析

目的调查临床护士感知组织氛围与工作投入的状况,并分析二者的关系。方法采用护理组织氛围量表和护士工作投入量表对688名临床护士进行问卷调查。结果护士感知组织氛围总均分为(3.67±0.46)分;工作投入总均分为(3.43±1.12)分;临床护士感知组织氛围与工作投入呈正相关(P0.01或P0.05)。结论临床护士工作投入处于中等水平,护理管理者应认识到营造良好组织氛围的重要性,有针对性地采取有效措施以提高临床护士感知的组织氛围,提高其工作投入,促使其以积极状态投入护理工作,从而提高护理质量。     

组织支持感与护士工作投入水平的关系

目的研究护理人员组织支持感与护士工作投入的相关性,探索提高护士工作投入水平的方法。方法 2011年11月,便利抽样法选择天津市四所三级甲等医院355名护士为研究对象,采用自制的一般情况调查表和组织支持感量表及工作投入量表对其进行问卷调查。结果护理人员组织支持感总分为(2.879±0.637)分;工作投入总分为(2.919±0.912)分;组织支持感与工作投入呈显著正相关(P<0.01)。回归分析显示,情感性支持和工具性支持均影响护士工作投入水平。结论管理者应采取措施,提高组织支持感,对促使护士以积极状态投入工作,并改善护理服务质量有重要的作用。     

2020 Vision – The Year of the Nurse and Midwife

The World Health Organization has designated 2020 as the Year of the Nurse and Midwife. With a predicted shortfall of more than nine million nurses and midwives by 2030, the World Health Organization has recognized the urgency of tackling the approaching workforce issues head on. The activities planned should provide a once in a generation opportunity to promote the nursing profession and address crucial issues, such as recruitment and retention, professional development and pay and conditions. The International Council of Nurses is working closely with its National Nursing Associations around the world and other key nursing and health organizations, to create a long‐lasting legacy that will raise the profile of the profession with the public, boost its professional status, and make it sustainable in the future.     

The demography of nurses and patients on acute psychiatric wards in England

Aims and objectives. To describe the ethnic and demographic composition of staff and patients on acute psychiatric wards in England. Background. A significant proportion of the UK population (7·6%) belong to an ethnic minority and there are concerns that ethnic minority patients are not well served by psychiatry, in particular that they are subject to excessive force and coercion. Design. Survey of a random sample of psychiatric wards in three regions. Methods. A survey was conducted of staff (n = 1536) and patients (n = 11 128) on 136 acute admission psychiatric wards. Results. Ethnic minority patients were more likely to be admitted with a diagnosis of schizophrenia, younger, more likely to be admitted for a risk of harm to others and more likely to be legally detained. The association between ethnic minority status and detention remains, even when risk, age, gender and diagnosis are taken into account. Ethnic minority patients come from areas of greater social deprivation and fragmentation. Ethnic concordance between staff and patients varies, but the greatest difference is found in London where the proportion of minority staff is greater than the proportion of minority patients. Conclusions. There continues to be evidence that ethnic minority patients are subject to an excessive amount of legal coercion in English mental health services. However, the proportion of staff belonging to an ethnic minority is greater than the proportion of patients. Relevance to clinical practice. Solutions to the problem of excessive use of legal coercion with ethnic minority patients need to be found. Changes of recruitment strategies are required if concordance is to be achieved.     

Contexts, motives and experiences of Nigerian overseas nurses: understanding links to globalization

Aims. Current understanding of the perspectives and experience of overseas trained nurses working in the UK and how these relate to conditions of globalization, is limited. This article (i) presents evidence on the contexts, circumstances and perspectives of Nigerian trained nurses working in the UK and (ii) examines their relationships to globalization by building on prior analyses that use Bauman's concepts of ‘global’ and ‘local’ perspectives. Methods. The evidence derives from an exploratory qualitative investigation in the UK and Nigeria among a small sample of Nigerian trained registered nurses working in the independent nursing home sector in England (n = 25) and registered nurses, nursing tutors and returnee migrants in Nigeria (n = 7). Findings. Nurses’ migration motives arise from a deterioration in their economic, work and status situation over the past two decades in the context of a macro‐economic decline in Nigeria. Their decisive motivation is to gain financially with a view to achieving certain material standards and prospects for self and children in Nigeria. Contrary to their expectations, they experience a loss in professional and social status in the UK. Conclusion. In their de facto‘global’ migration, principally for economic reasons, Nigerian nurses hold a decidedly ‘local’ normative perspective. This is reinforced by their experiences of work tensions, which reflect the globalization of biographies. Relevance to clinical practice. Further evidence such as that provided, on the contexts and perspectives of overseas nurses, as also of UK staff, will enable the appropriate management of developing world‐UK nursing migration and its host system implications