Strengths-Based Leadership for Internationally Educated Nurses: A National Appreciative Inquiry Initiative

Internationally educated nurses (IENs) are essential in filling global nursing shortages. Nevertheless, challenges they face during their transition, onboarding, and adaptation to new settings can impact their retention, workforce stability, and the quality of patient care. Existing strategies often concentrate more on identifying gaps than leveraging their strengths. This initiative engaged stakeholders through a participatory design approach that integrated Appreciative Inquiry and the Nominal Group Technique to identify and prioritize strategies for integrating IENs. Data were collected at 2 meetings of the Philippine Nurses' Association of America, attended by 542 participants, through structured discussions, polling, and consensus-building activities. Participants identified essential components facilitating IEN integration, which include mentorship, culturally responsive onboarding, psychosocial and family support, and inclusive organizational practices. Structured onboarding and mentorship emerged asforemost strategies, succeeded by professional development and community engagement. Integrating Appreciative Inquiry with structured prioritization provides a practical, stakeholder-driven method to guide workforce integration initiatives. The findings underscore the significance of strengths-based, system-level strategies that foster belonging, facilitate professional development, and improve IEN retention.