Finding the Gatekeeper: Chasing a Distant Dream Education for Internationally Educated Nurses

Abstract

The globalization of nurse migration is an international phenomenon. However, there is a lack of research regarding available education and support for internationally educated nurses during their transitions into Canadian practice settings. Internationally educated nurses must be able to demonstrate the entrance-level competencies in nursing in Canada. They must also meet the provincial or territory regulatory bodies' guidelines for licensure, and this includes a process of credential assessment, competence, and competency assessment. This assessment process for most internationally educated nurses will result in the need for some additional education. In BC, the educational resources available to support IENs are minimal. Accessing these educational resources is both problematic and pedagogically challenging. In this study, using a constructivist grounded theory methodology, internationally educated nurses in British Columbia, Canada, identify formal, informal, and online and distributed learning supports used to support their transition, how these resources are accessed, and what hidden barriers exist that impede ongoing assistance.