Rajpoot A, Merriman C, Rafferty A-M, Henshall C. Transitioning Experiences of Internationally Educated Nurses in Host Countries: A Narrative Systematic Review. Int J Nurs Stud Adv 2024; DOI: 10.1016/j.ijnsa.2024.100195.

Support is essential for success.

There has been a significant rise in the recruitment and migration of nurses from other countries, which may help address recruitment issues, but also poses several risks because of cultural differences, language barriers and practices. This review highlights factors which aid the transition.

Nurses seek alternative work for a variety of reasons (lack of opportunity in the home country, improved financial reward in the host country) but integration into the new role is often hampered by a lack of pre-departure planning and education, leading to misunderstandings of cultural norms, regulatory processes and clinical procedures. Integration is frequently seen as the incoming nurses' responsibility and not that of the host organisations.

By providing better pre-departure support and information, tackling discrimination and racism, and proactively addressing communication and language barriers, healthcare organisations can create a more inclusive and supportive work environment. This should then lead to improved patient care benefiting the entire healthcare system.