Integration determinant: Do I stay or do I go?

Abstract

Nurse migration is a growing global phenomenon and the integration of internationally educated nurses in host countries, contexts and systems is gaining increasing attention. A qualitative research study which was carried out amongst nurses in a small context in Malta revealed that a main determinant of the integration of internationally educated nurse (IENs) in the respective health system, and one's participation in the host community and inclusion in the local society, was the IEN's plan to stay in the respective health system, context and country or the IEN's plan to go elsewhere. Data was collected through one-to-one interviews with twelve nurses. Thematic analysis of the data was carried out using MAXqda software. Ethics clearance was awarded from the Research Board of the University of Malta and signed consent was sought from all participants. The findings highlight the importance of acknowledging the immense impact that future plans of IENs have on their intention to integrate, their investment in integrating and the outcome of their integration. Implications of this finding for education, policy and management and research are presented.