Internationally educated nurses’ competency assessment and registration outcomes
International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care
ISSN: 1747-9894
Article publication date: 17 August 2018
Issue publication date: 11 September 2018
Abstract
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is to examine relationships between internationally educated nurses’ (IENs’) performance in a registered nurse competency assessment process and the outcomes of their nursing registration applications. Assessments of nursing practice competencies, IEN applicant characteristics and registration outcomes were explored.
Design/methodology/approach
This is a secondary statistical analysis of a subset of IEN application data from a previous study in combination with assessment data from an additional database. Application data between 2008 and 2011 were analyzed using univariate/bivariate analyses and regression models to explore the relationship of performance in the assessment process and outcomes of the registration process.
Findings
Competency categories IEN applicants had difficulties with (from least to most) were Professional Responsibility and Accountability, Ethical Practice, Self-Regulation, Service to the Public, Knowledge-Based Practice: Specialized Body of Knowledge and Knowledge-Based Practice: Competent Application of Knowledge. IENs educated in the UK and USA had the highest scores and odds of meeting competencies. Applicants educated in India and Asia had lower scores and odds ratios. All national entry-to-practice examination and registration eligibility competencies were significantly related to registration outcomes. Applicants passing the exam had higher competency scores while applicants ineligible for registration had lower competency scores.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include integrity of data extracted from active databases, IEN motivation to complete the RN registration process and conversion of assessment scales for research analysis.
Originality/value
Results inform regulation policies that improve IEN registration processes and may be informative to regulators, assessment centers, educational institutions and IENs.
Keywords
Acknowledgements
This study was funded within the Learning from Experience: Improving the Process of Internationally Educated Nurses’ Applications for Registration project which was funded by Alberta Health through Health Canada’s Internationally Educated Health Professional Initiative. The provincial and federal levels of government did not participate in data collection or analysis phases of the study and did not contribute to the manuscript. The views expressed herein do not necessarily represent the views of Health Canada or Alberta Health. The authors acknowledge the contributions of the LFE Research Team, data entry clerks, CARNA and the nurse assessors from the Mount Royal University IEN Assessment Centre.
Citation
Nordstrom, P.M., Kwan, J.A., Wang, M., Qiu, Z.(W)., Cummings, G.G. and Giblin, C. (2018), "Internationally educated nurses’ competency assessment and registration outcomes", International Journal of Migration, Health and Social Care, Vol. 14 No. 3, pp. 332-346. https://doi.org/10.1108/IJMHSC-07-2017-0029
Publisher
:Emerald Publishing Limited
Copyright © 2018, Emerald Publishing Limited