Canadian Nurses a Success in America

Time of transition

Advocates of foreign nurse recruitment also cite evidence to show that international nurses are well taken care of when it comes to making the transition to the United States.

Now, facilities such as St. Mark's Hospital in Salt Lake City work hard to help international nurses make a smooth entrance into their new jobs and communities, said Pauli Marr, vice president for patient care services at St. Mark's Hospital. She's trying to negotiate a deal to have local residents house foreign nurses who are scheduled to arrive in the fall.

"It's very important to have a community for the nurses to live in," she said. "They need to have a place where they feel safe."

The hospital also initially provides meal tickets for the nurses and helps them set up bank accounts. Preceptors also accompany the nurses during their first six months to help them adjust to working in American hospitals.

For some foreign nurses, especially from countries such as the Philippines, one of these transitions is learning to be more assertive, several nurse executives said. In the Philippines, nurses often have a more technical role in which they follow a physician's instructions, while in the United States, nurses are encouraged to be more autonomous.

"We are very timid as [a] people because that's how we are raised," Garcia said. "Here in America, you have to be assertive."

Although foreign nurses may require time to adjust and, in the eyes of some, provide only a short-term solution to the nursing shortage, hospital staffing executives such as Bradney can't ignore the benefits of these international recruits.

"My personal experience has been very rewarding in working with international nurses," she said.

"We've had very good success, and they are delighted to be here. They are an absolute pleasure."

Contact Heather Stringer at heathers@nurseweek.com.