Evidence-based research in nursing administration: the time is now.

Area of Science:

• Nursing Workforce Studies
• Healthcare Management
• Cross-Border Employment

Background:

• Nurse recruitment and retention are critical global healthcare challenges.
• Understanding factors influencing nurses' international employment decisions is essential for workforce planning.
• Border communities present unique scenarios for studying nurse migration and employment preferences.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the key factors influencing Canadian nurses' decisions to work in the United States versus Canada.
• To identify the relative importance of various employment and lifestyle factors in nurse recruitment and retention within a border community.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative study exploring the perceptions of Canadian nurses living in a border community.
• Analysis of factors influencing employment choices between Canadian and United States healthcare institutions.

Main Results:

• Full-time employment emerged as the most significant factor attracting nurses to specific institutions.
• Educational opportunities, positive relationships with physicians and supervisors, and compatible scheduling were also highly valued.
• These findings underscore the importance of institutional-level factors in nurse attraction and retention.

Conclusions:

• Healthcare institutions must focus on offering stable full-time positions and supportive work environments to attract and retain Canadian nurses.
• Addressing lifestyle compatibility through flexible scheduling is vital for nurse retention.
• The study highlights the need for tailored strategies to manage cross-border nursing employment dynamics.