Push and pull factors in international nurse migration

Area of Science:

• Global Health
• Nursing Workforce Studies
• Migration Studies

Background:

• International nurse migration is a significant global phenomenon.
• Nurse migration impacts both countries of origin (donor) and destination (receiving).
• Ethical considerations are paramount in the recruitment of foreign-trained nurses.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify and describe the push and pull factors influencing international nurse migration.
• To analyze the dynamics of international nurse recruitment.
• To examine the effects on donor and receiving countries.

Main Methods:

• Comprehensive literature review on nurse migration.
• Analysis of the effects of nurse migration on donor nations.
• Examination of the impact on receiving nations.
• Discussion of ethical issues in foreign nurse recruitment.

Main Results:

• Key donor countries include the Philippines, UK, and South Africa; primary receiving countries are the US, UK, and Canada.
• Donor countries experience loss of skilled professionals and economic investment.
• Receiving countries benefit from skilled nurses to alleviate shortages with reduced training costs.
• Potential for exploitation of foreign nurses is a significant ethical concern.

Conclusions:

• Nurses are motivated to migrate by the pursuit of superior compensation and work environments.
• Developed countries' active recruitment of foreign nurses to address critical shortages is ongoing.
• Sustained international nurse migration will persist unless underlying causes of shortages are resolved in developed nations and conditions improve in developing nations.