Abstract
Integration of internationally educated nurses (IENs) in the workplace over the long term, has not been a clear focus in nursing. The role of the employer organization in facilitating workplace integration for IENs has also not been emphasized in research. The overall aim of this paper is to highlight findings from an instrumental qualitative case study research informed by critical social theory, which examined workplace integration of IENs. The study explored what is meant by ‘integration’ and how the employer organizational context affects workplace integration of IENs. A purposeful sample of twenty-eight participants was involved. The participants included: stakeholders from various vantage points within the case organization as well as IENs from diverse backgrounds who were beyond the process of transitioning into the Canadian workplace—they had worked in Canada for an average of eleven years. Four methods of data collection were used: semi-structured interviews; socio-demographic survey; review of documents; and focus group discussions (FGDs). Thematic analysis methods guided the within subcase analysis first, followed by an across subcase analysis. FGDs were used as a platform for member-checking to establish the credibility of study findings. The resulting definition and conceptual framework point to workplace integration of IENs as a two-way process requiring efforts on the part of the IENs as well as the employer organization. This paper elaborates on selected themes of how beyond transition, workplace integration entails IENs progressing on their leadership journey, while persevering to overcome challenges. Organizational factors such as workforce diversity, leadership commitment to equity and engagement with the broader community serve as critical enablers and the importance of workplaces striving to avoid common pitfalls in addressing the priority of IEN integration are also discussed. This paper concludes with implications and key considerations for workplace integration of IENs.
Highlights
Introduction ofinternationally educated nurses (IENs) to the nursing profession and the healthcare system in Canada has brought with it much diversity in terms of race, culture, religion, nursing education and indigenous philosophies and practices from around the globe
That the changes resulting from workplace integration occur both at the individual IEN and the organizational levels
Using a qualitative case study approach informed by critical social theory, this research has addresses gaps in knowledge by offering a conceptual framework and definition of workplace integration of IENs based on the perspectives of IENs and other stakeholders
Summary
IENs to the nursing profession and the healthcare system in Canada has brought with it much diversity in terms of race, culture, religion, nursing education and indigenous philosophies and practices from around the globe. While this diversity should add richness to nursing, many IENs who have come to Canada over the last twenty years are racialized (Citizenship and Immigration Canada 2012) and are from source countries that have long histories of colonization. This research was approached from a critical social theory (CST) perspective. The 2012 immigrant landing statistics from Citizenship and Immigration Canada (CIC), indicate that the top
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