Integration of international nurses: Focus of upcoming conference

Geneva, Switzerland (10 February 2006) — The International Centre on Nurse Migration, along with the Commonwealth Secretariat and the Royal College of Nursing, is hosting a two-day conference to explore ways to fully integrate international nurses into new workplaces. “Creating Positive Practice Environments for the International Nurse” will be held on February 20 – 21 at the Marlborough House in London. The conference will focus on how health systems make the most of the knowledge, skills and potential of international nurses and how we ensure fair treatment.

Featured speakers include: Sian Thomas (NHS Confederation) and Sally Taber (Independent Healthcare Forum), who will provide the employer perspective; Jane C. Shivnan (Institute for John Hopkins Nursing) and Anne Leedham-Smith (RCN North West Thames), who will present some models of good practice from the U.S. and the UK. James Buchan will present conclusions taken from the King’s Fund study on Internationally Recruited Nurses in London. Annette Kennedy, President of the European Federation of Nurses Associations, will give an international overview and there will be presentations from Sylvia Denton (RCN President) and Peggy Vidot from the Commonwealth Secretariat, who will explore how a learning environment in the UK can benefit developing countries when return migration is facilitated.

The conference document, Positive Practice Environments: Key Considerations for the Development of a Framework to Support the Integration of International Nurses, aims to provide an overview of the influences of international policies and agreements, the social and personal benefits and costs of migration for international nurses, and outlines a possible framework to develop positive practice environments to support long-term integration and the retention of this valuable resource.

There are many reasons why nurses migrate: to achieve a better quality of life, professional development, to attain additional skills and education or to secure a better income. International nurses often face many challenges, such as adapting to a new environment and dealing with a sense of belonging and strangeness. There is also a significant amount of evidence that shows that these nurses are exposed to abuse, exploitation, discrimination and marginalisation. By building positive practice environments, we can ensure the integration of international nurses, supporting them in the host environments and, thereby, creating a dynamic team by valuing and using the skills and abilities of all nurses. The development of positive practice environments will benefit patients, individual nurses, health care teams and health services and, ultimately, the delivery of quality health care.

More detailed information on the conference, including how to register, is available at Positive Practice Environments Conference.

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