Medical Care Research and Review
Volume 69, Issue 3, 2012, Pages 351-365

Immigration and contract problems experienced by foreign-educated nurses (Review)

Pittman P.* , Herrera C. , Spetz J. , Davis C.R.
  • a Department of Health Policy, George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, DC 20052, United States
  • b Department of Health Policy, George Washington University, School of Public Health and Health Services, Washington, DC 20052, United States
  • c University of California, San Francisco, San Francisco, CA, United States
  • d CGFNS International, Inc., Philadelphia, PA, United States

Abstract

More than 8% of employed RNs licensed since 2004 in the United States were educated overseas, yet little is known about the conditions of their recruitment or the impact of that experience on health care practice. This study assessed whether the labor rights of foreign-educated nurses were at risk during the latest period of high international recruitment: 2003 to 2007. Using consensus-based standards contained in the Voluntary Code of Ethical Conduct for the Recruitment of Foreign-Educated Health Professionals to the United States, this study found 50% of actively recruited foreign-educated nurses experienced a negative recruitment practice. The study also found that nurses educated in low-income countries and nurses with high contract breach fees, were significantly more likely to report such problems. If, as experts believe may occur, the nursing shortage in the United States returns around 2014, oversight of international recruitment will become critically important to delivering high-quality health care to Americans. © The Author(s) 2012.

Author Keywords

Registered nurses Workforce Internationally educated nurses Labor rights foreign-educated nurses

Index Keywords

nursing education Foreign Professional Personnel professional standard immigration human Nurses human rights Contract Services United States Humans Canada Chi-Square Distribution personnel management Review foreign educated nurse labor right Personnel Selection contract Emigration and Immigration employment
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84860519905&doi=10.1177%2f1077558711432890&partnerID=40&md5=5abb1a36b06ab6d27338f9d3113ceaef
DOI: 10.1177/1077558711432890
ISSN: 10775587
Cited by: 9
Original Language: English