Beyond the Borders: Navigating the Hurdles Faced by Internationally Educated Nurses

Abstract

Globally, nurses from low-middle income countries (LMICs) decided to migrate as internationally educated nurses (IENs) for their financial stability and to improve quality of life. IENs play a vital role in strengthening the country’s healthcare settings. According to the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (2021), the international migration of nurses to Canada was 8.1%, the number increased by threefold from 2017-2018.

This commentary draws on my personal experiences as an international nursing student of PhD program in Canada. As part of PhD program, I am constantly struggling to manage academic and research workload. Using a reflective approach, this paper will examine multifaceted issues as an IEN such as professional identity and cultural adaptation, communication and language issues, and systemic barriers and credentialing issues. Through a lens of personal experience, this paper will highlight how these issues impact health and well-being within individuals.