Supporting the health and well-being of internationally educated nurses in Canada

Working with internationally educated nurses and health-care professionals to better understand and support well-being during the transition to Canadian practice.

About the project

Conestoga’s Centre for Health Care Research & Innovation (CHCRI) brought together researchers, internationally educated nurses, and health-care professionals to explore the experiences of nurses transitioning into Canadian practice. Through a collaborative research approach, the project sought to better understand the challenges internationally educated nurses face and identify ways to support their health and well-being.

The challenge

Internationally educated nurses play an important role in addressing Canada’s health-care workforce needs. However, transitioning into Canadian practice can involve challenges such as workplace discrimination, isolation, stress, and uncertainty. The project sought to better understand these experiences and explore how health-care organizations and educators can support nurses throughout the transition.

Approach

• Used a community-focused co-design approach to involve internationally educated nurses and the professionals supporting them
• Conducted 13 in-depth interviews with nurses and administrators from several Canadian provinces
• Organized collaborative sessions to explore experiences, challenges, and priorities related to health and well-being
• Held a final co-design session involving 25 nurses, administrators, and faculty members
• Gathered participant perspectives to inform future research and support strategies

Results

• Completed 13 discovery interviews and a final co-design session with 25 participants
• Identified physical, mental, social, emotional, and spiritual well-being as important dimensions of nurses’ overall health
• Highlighted the importance of mental health and access to support systems during the transition to Canadian practice
• Produced an eight-page summary report to share findings with research participants
• Identified opportunities for continued research and collaboration with health-care organizations

Why it matters

• Provides insight into the experiences of internationally educated nurses entering Canada’s health-care workforce
• Highlights the importance of supporting nurses’ mental health and overall well-being
• Encourages more inclusive and supportive workplace environments
• Supports collaboration between nurses, educators, researchers, and health-care organizations
• Establishes a foundation for future research, with the team seeking additional funding to expand the work

Get started with your next project

IEN-Co: Supporting the health and well-being of internationally educated nurses as they transition to practice in Canada was supported by the Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR).