Integration of ESL international qualified nurses (IQN) in the NZ health workforce

30^th World Congress on Advanced Nursing Practice

September 04-06, 2017 | Edinburgh, Scotland

Johannes Maria Christiaan Roeters

Universal College of Learning, New Zealand

Keynote: Adv Practice Nurs

Abstract :

Contempory literature identifies that IQNs encounter significant issues when assimilating into a foreign workforce which may impact on their safety in practice, confidence, and ability to become fully productive members of the health care team First world English speaking countries have a commonality in the increasing number of ESL IQNs assimilating in their Nursing workforce. 26% of the current NZ workforce consists of IQNs and this is predicted to increase to 35% by 2035. In 2015 45.2% of the RN workforce was over 50 year of age and a large proportion will be retiring between 2017 and 2035. Medical advancements has resulted in an increasing population age and this is associated with an increase in comorbidities. This presentation will discuss some the issues ESL IQNs experience including competency versus capability issues, communication challenges, cultural safety, professional expectation variables and clinical decision making. Finaly the presenter will discuss some potential strategies for improvement in assimilation support. The information is gathered from literature related to the preliminary results of two articles cowritten by the presenter, currently in preparation for publication in scientific nursing journals in 2017. One article describes the succesfull development of a professional diagnostic assessement using nursing simulation to establish suitability to enter the competency assessment programme. The second article evaluates the research of a Graduate Diploma for IQNs which includes competency assessment prior to registration as a NZRN and the potential (dis) advantages of extended comprehensive induction programmes and clinical placements as part of pre-registration preparation of a more in depth preparation using prior.

Biography :

Han Roeters trained as a Registered Nurse and Nurse Anaethetist in the Netherlands. After emigrating to New Zealand (NZ) in 1984, he registered as a NZRN and holds a MA in Health Sciences and PgDip in Health Informatics from the University of Otago, Dunedin, NZ. He has held several senior nursing and health management positions. Currently he is a Senior Nursing Lecturer at UCOL in Palmerston North, NZ. He has 10 year experience in competency assessment of IQN. He has given several conference presentations in a variety of subjects including dementia care, health informatics and nursing simulation.