Workplace Outcomes and Experiences of Internationally Educated Nurses: A Scoping Review

Area of Science:

• Nursing
• Healthcare Workforce Studies
• Occupational Health

Background:

• United States nursing shortages necessitate increased reliance on internationally educated nurses (IENs).
• Workplace outcomes for IENs are not well understood, impacting retention and support strategies.
• Existing research presents a fragmented view of IEN experiences in diverse healthcare settings.

Purpose of the Study:

• To conduct a scoping review of empirical studies on IEN workplace outcomes.
• To identify individual characteristics and work conditions associated with IEN outcomes.
• To synthesize current evidence to inform policy and practice for IEN integration and retention.

Main Methods:

• Systematic search and synthesis of peer-reviewed empirical studies published between 2004 and 2025.
• Included studies examining workplace outcomes, individual characteristics, and work conditions of IENs.
• Analysis of findings across 34 diverse studies.

Main Results:

• IENs generally reported moderate to high job satisfaction.
• Burnout indicators suggested moderate to high occupational strain among IENs.
• Workplace outcomes were strongly linked to organizational factors (workload, discrimination, leadership support, orientation, commitment) rather than individual traits.

Conclusions:

• Organizational conditions are critical for IEN well-being and retention.
• Inconsistent measurement and reporting limit understanding of IEN intention to leave.
• Future research requires standardized measures and robust designs to guide effective workforce policies for IENs.