The impact of global nursing migration on health services delivery

A number of common issues and challenges face every country; however, their impact varies greatly across different countries. A particular concern in relation to nurse migration is its effect on adding to the imbalance in nursing resources that already exists in different regions and different countries. The number of nurses recruited into developed countries has increased significantly during the past decade, particularly from developing countries. Understanding and addressing the impact of migration requires not only examining what pulls nurses into destination countries but also what pushes them from source countries. We must also address the ethical issues involved in international recruitment. We must also not lose sight of nurses currently in the workforce. Effective national policies for recruiting and retaining nurses would reduce the need for recruiting from other countries.