Abstract
Background
Nurse migration is increasingly seen as an appropriate response to address nursing shortages in overburdened health systems. This paper aims to analyse the situation in Germany, the UK and Australia and identify similarities and differences in the dimensions, perceptions and processing of nurse migration in different health systems.
Methods
A rapid evidence assessment and comparative situation analysis of routine data obtained from public health, education and labour market reporting systems, and academic and grey literature were carried out in Jan-Feb 2020. Primary outcome measures were key data of nurse population and migration, barriers and opportunities, and educational initiatives to support migrating nurses to meet the requirements to work in the destination country.
Results
Germany, the UK and Australia are confronted with an ageing and increasingly chronically ill population and severe nursing shortages. Skilled migration is seen as an opportunity to address these problems, but each country is faced with different contextual conditions and requirements. Data on the nurse workforce obtained from public health, educational and labour market reporting systems are more differentiated and extensive in the UK and Australia than in Germany. Furthermore, there is a substantial amount of published literature in the UK (n = 65) and Australia (n = 87) on nurse migration and on how the countries address challenges in this area; in comparison to the German context, where such research is limited (n = 7). Available research focuses on the economic, epidemiological and geographical impact and distribution of nurse migration. Qualitative dimensions and educational requirements are less well discussed.
Conclusions
Evidence on nursing migration is strongly based on quantitative factors and may not reflect current needs. More information about qualitative aspects of nurse migration is required to develop recommendations that support enhanced nursing workforce migration.
Key messages
Nurse Migration presents many challenges that have not yet been fully researched. Results of a comparative analysis of three countries offer the opportunity to highlight missed opportunities.
Nurse migration in Australia, Germany and the UK: A rapid evidence assessment of primary research
