International expert panel

Abstract

The International Expert Panel was established over 10 years ago to encourage and facilitate dialogue among academy members on healthcare issues that transcend cultures and international boundaries. More specifically the goals were to 1) establish partnered research, 2) present joint meetings, 3) create collaborative practice arrangements, and 4) arrange administration and faculty exchanges. In follow-up to discussions at the 2001 meeting, the panel decided at the fall 2002 meeting to focus its efforts during the coming year on a particular theme. We engaged in considerable discussion of the issues and concerns involved in the recruitment and immigration of foreign nurses, as well as the problems associated with the international exchange of nursing faculty and students. Many questions were raised. For example, the problems inherent in recruiting foreign nurses to the United States are well known, but do we have a responsibility to provide opportunities for students from other countries to come to the US for gainful employment, for personal advancement, and to acquire additional nursing education? Do we have a responsibility to share our expertise in order to advance the knowledge and skills of nurses more globally than just in the United States? The recruitment of foreign nurses to the US places a strain on the healthcare systems of the originating countries by decreasing their supply of nurses. Once these students are in the US, what is our responsibility for providing incentives for them to return to their own countries and to increase the quality of the health care in those countries? Additionally, for many of these nurses, English is a second or even third language. As a result, they come here not only with cultural barriers, but with language barriers as well. This can result in an increase in orientation costs for clinical agencies, and problems with licensure, among other things. What are our responsibilities for assisting with this transition? The topic of recruiting foreign nurses was addressed by Barbara Nichols, Executive Director, CGFNS, at the 2001 meeting, and the group decided it needs to be revisited in more depth. It was felt that accreditation guidelines do not adequately address the international placements of faculty and students of international exchanges. What measures need to be instituted? The US government and other agencies do not sufficiently support the education of nurses to meet US needs during this time of critical shortage. As a result of the shortage, how does educating foreign nurses impact on the supply of nurses in this country? There were many questions raised in the discussions, and we decided to make these collective issues the primary focus of the panel for the coming year and to engage in further discussion directed toward resolutions. It was suggested that models are needed on multiculturalism and research on what approaches are working to facilitate it. Members were encouraged to consider developing one or work with others familiar with the issues to do so. At the fall 2003 meeting of the academy, the panel plans to discuss a variety of issues including, but not limited to, the need for international diversity in nursing education programs as well as accreditation guidelines as they relate to the recruitment and exchange of international students and faculty. We plan to discuss the desired outcomes and benefits of international experiences, associated licensure issues, potential funding sources for model development, and enhancement of partnerships with foreign nursing programs to promote international collaboration and diversity. While this is an ambitious agenda, it is a beginning and will perhaps evolve over the next few years into meaningful approaches to the problems. We invite members to join us for these discussions and to bring ideas to the panel meeting. It is our intent to present our findings and suggestions to the full membership for further consideration.