Factors Influencing Nurse Migration: Health Policy Challenges

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Factors Influencing Nurse Migration Health
Policy Challenges

• A Call to Action Ensuring Global Human Resources
  for Health
• International Health Workforce Conference
• Geneva, Switzerland. March 22-23, 2007
• Linda McGillis Hall, PhD
• Associate Professor CIHR New Investigator
• Associate Dean, Research and External
  Relations
• University of Toronto, Toronto, Canada

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Study Team

• Linda McGillis Hall, RN, PhD., University of
  Toronto (principal investigator)
• George H. Pink, PhD, Department of Health Policy
  and Administration, University of North
  Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Cheryl B. Jones, RN, PhD, FAAN, School of Nursing
  ,
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Peggy Leatt, PhD, School of Public Health,
• University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill
• Michael Gates, RN, PhD, University of San Diego,
• Hahn School of Nursing and Health Science
• Lisa Seto, RN, MN, PhD Student, University of
  Toronto
• Jessica Petersen, RN, PhD Candidate, University
  of Toronto

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Funding

• Ontario Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care
  (research grant)

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Purpose

• To gain an understanding of work environment
  factors contributing to nurse migration using an
  example of Canadian nurses who went to the US to
  find nursing work
• To identify policy recommendations to support
  nurse retention

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Method

• Mixed method in 3 phases
• 1) Retrospective exploratory research design,
  using U.S. National Sample Survey of Registered
  Nurses (NSSRN) (1996 2000) and Canadian
  Institute for Health Information (2001) datasets
• 2) survey a sample of Canadian-trained nurses
  working in the U.S. to determine the motivators
  for them leaving Canada (2006)
• 3) focus groups with a sub sample of these

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Survey and Focus Groups

• Researcher-designed survey based on review of
  literature
• Response rate 47.8 (N675)
• Majority (87) wrote additional comments on
  questionnaires (over 84 pages, single spaced)
• 358 signed and returned consents to participate
  in focus groups

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Findings

• Seeking full-time employment
• Younger graduates migrating
• Baccalaureate-prepared migrating
• Its not about the incentives

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Policy Implications

• Workforce retention strategies
• Long-term planning of health human resources
• Create positive work environments

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Next Steps

• Second study report forthcoming in spring The
  Role of Work Environments in the Migration of
  Nurses
• (McGillis Hall, Lalonde Seto, 2007)
• Funded by Canadian Health Services Research
  Foundation CHSRF (research grant)

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Thank you !

• Questions or comments?
• Follow up study information is available at
• http//www.nursing.utoronto.ca/lmcgillishall/