Overseas-trained Nurses stress and work satisfaction: A case study in Australia

56^th World Congers on Nursing and Health Care & 3^rd World Congress on Pediatric and Neonatal Nursing

May 02-03, 2022 | Joint Webinar

Kwee, Ching Ting Tany, Dos Santos, Luis Miguel, Leung, Yuk Lan, Hon, Po Yee

University of New South Wales, Australia
Woosong University, Daejeon, South Korea
University Preparation College, Australia
University of Portsmouth, United Kingdom

Scientific Tracks Abstracts: J Nurs Care

Abstract :

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries, such as Australia, face an acute shortage of nursing professionals. Although many countries have fast-track migration programmes to attract these talents, overseas-trained nurses are still somehow facing myriad challenges in career progression, work environment and family roles at their new home, leading to a potential deterioration of their work satisfaction due to a rising level of stress. This study aims at investigating the factors influencing overseas-trained nurses’ level of stress and work satisfaction. Utilising Social Cognitive Career Theory as a theoretical framework, the researchers explored these nurses’ career decisions and actions in relation to their self-efficacy and performance goals. The researchers then adopted Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis to collect data from 10 nursing practitioners in Australia through three semi-structured interviews and focus group activities and captured their mental representation of such decision-making process, thereby obtaining an in-depth understanding of how and why their stress and work satisfaction arose. This study has identified that patients’ sceptical and unwelcoming attitude towards overseastrained nurses and relationship crisis are the factors inducing overseas-trained nurses stress, while strong collegial support and greater promotion opportunities are the factors increasing their work satisfaction. The finding of this study is significant for government agencies and policymakers to devise appropriate strategies to maximise work satisfaction and incorporate intervention programmes to minimise the impact of the stressors, thereby recruiting and retaining these overseas-trained nursing professionals at their new home more successfully.

Biography :

Kwee, Ching Ting Tany is a PhD candidate at the University of New South Wales, Australia. Her research interests include career and vocational issues, multicultural issues, human resources management, education and professional development. She has published and presented in various international conferences and serves as a reviewer in reputed journals. Dr. Dos Santos, Luis Miguel is an Assistant Professor at Woosong University, South Korea. He completed his doctorate at Northeastern University, United States. His research interests include career development, decision-making process, foreign language teaching and learning, online education, lived stories, narrative studies, human resources management, workforce shortage, public health development, nursing, technology teaching, qualitative research, social cognitive carer and motivation theory. He has published more than 120 academic works in journals, book chapters, monographs, and conferences. Leung, Yuk Lan is a Transnational Education Manager at University Preparation College, Australia. She completed her doctorate at Northeastern University, United States. Her research interests are in pedagogy, curriculum, children's health and wellbeing, environmental education in sustainability, and leadership in early childhood education. He has published more than 27 academic works in journals, book chapters, and conferences. She has been invited as an advisor for a three-year project of “Pre-school Children: Health Promoting Kindergarten” in Hong Kong. Hon, Po Yee is a MRes student at the University of Portsmouth, The United Kingdom. Her research interests include career and vocational issues, career development, decision-making process, English as a second language (ESL) teaching and learning, and human resources management.