Multiorganizational Partnerships: A Mechanism for Increasing the Employment of Internationally Educated Nurses

Area of Science:

• Healthcare workforce development
• Nursing education and integration
• Immigrant professional integration

Background:

• Internationally educated nurses (IENs) face significant barriers integrating into the Canadian healthcare system.
• Challenges include cultural adaptation, understanding Canadian nursing standards, and credential recognition.
• Hamilton Health Sciences (HHS) initiated a project to support IENs, funded by government initiatives.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe a collaborative, multiorganizational project designed to prepare IENs for Canadian healthcare employment.
• To outline the strategies used to address the specific needs of IENs in the Canadian context.

Main Methods:

• A community collaboration employment model (CCEM) was co-designed with partners in education and immigrant support services.
• Needs assessments were conducted via focus groups to identify key intervention areas.
• Interventions focused on professional practice, accountability, workplace language, communication, and clinical skills.

Main Results:

• Between 2009 and early 2021, 591 IENs successfully secured employment through the project.
• The CCEM facilitated targeted interventions addressing IENs' identified needs.

Conclusions:

• Multiorganizational partnerships are vital for building and sustaining a robust nursing workforce.
• IENs can effectively fill critical gaps in healthcare delivery.
• The needs-based CCEM demonstrably improved IEN employment outcomes and is a valuable model for healthcare organizations.