Lived Experiences of Nurse Migration to High-Income Countries: A Qualitative Inquiry

Area of Science:

• Nursing Workforce Studies
• International Migration
• Healthcare Management

Background:

• Global nurse migration presents significant challenges to workforce sustainability and integration.
• Understanding the experiences of migrating nurses is crucial for policy development.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the motivations, immigration challenges, and integration experiences of Turkish nurses migrating to the USA, UK, and Germany.
• To identify factors influencing nurses' decisions to migrate and their adaptation in new countries.

Main Methods:

• Qualitative descriptive study involving 23 Turkish nurses.
• Data collected through semistructured interviews via secure video platforms.
• Purposive sampling used for participant recruitment.

Main Results:

• Key migration drivers include low pay, workplace violence, limited opportunities, and lack of respect in Türkiye.
• Immigration barriers comprised language, licensing, credentialing, and visa issues.
• Post-migration challenges included discrimination, cultural adaptation, and pursuit of professional growth.

Conclusions:

• Multifaceted drivers necessitate reforms in both source and destination countries to stabilize the global nursing workforce.
• Source countries need to improve workplace conditions and professional respect to reduce migration intent.
• Destination countries should implement structured onboarding and culturally responsive integration programs for internationally educated nurses.