International Nurse Recruitment Beyond the COVID-19 Pandemic: Considerations for the Nursing Workforce Leader

The global demand for nurses was both proven and exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. With global migration on the rise, hospitals and health systems are looking to supplement their workforces with migrant nurses. Foreign-educated nurses bring expertise and diversity, but ethical recruitment must consider the balance between "brain drain" and an individual's right to migrate. This paper highlights the contributions of foreign-educated nurses in the United States; explores the landscape, policy perspective, and market element of nurse migration, recruitment, and retention; and identifies key considerations that chief nursing officers should make as they look to build diverse and sustainable workforces.