Migrant nurses' perceptions and attitudes of integration into the perioperative setting

This paper is a report of a study conducted to examine migrant nurses' perceptions and attitudes of integration into the perioperative setting.

Adapting to a new culture can be overwhelming for many nurses working in foreign countries. Currently, the Republic of Ireland appears to rely heavily on migrant nurses because of persistent nursing shortages over the last decade. To date, there is little research on how the integration process affects migrant nurses in Ireland.

A quantitative descriptive design was used. Data were collected in 2007 using questionnaires distributed to 220 migrant perioperative nurses working in four hospitals in Ireland.

There were communication issues between migrant nurses and their work colleagues. Forty-nine percent of migrant nurses found that work practices were different from those in their home countries. Cultural differences were also an issue. Ninety percent of respondents found the support of preceptors beneficial and 96% found hospital orientation programmes valuable.

Workshops and in-service education are needed on key practices and procedures performed in the perioperative setting for all new staff. Specific learning outcomes and an achievement timeframe should be developed for each new nurse, based on their previous experience and level of knowledge. Migrant nurses not accustomed to delegating and being assertive need to be supported and given time to acquire these skills and to gain confidence.