International Nurse recruiter processes, knowledge, communication & skills, as well as employer input, are the building blocks for successful Internationally Educated Nurse (IEN) placement. Our experience has shown that each person brings unique experience, skills & background, each IEN and employer with their own priorities & expectations. We appreciate that recruitment is time intensive and industry specific, so we’ve put together some tips from our experiences & observations out in practice and within clinical learning & development. We hope it’s helpful.
- If you don’t anything about nursing, find out-research nursing roles & the Nursing Midwifery Council (NMC) registration process or ask someone knowledgeable.
- CV’s only tell part of the story-explore experience & qualifications, have conversations, ask targeted questions.
- If booking OSCE training/exams, be realistic about timescales & availability of OSCE training/exams & locations.
Advice for general (adult) nursing roles:
- Up to date, recent nursing experience with adults.
- Skills/attributes-Team work, time management, delegation, leadership, communication, catheter care, wound care, assessment, documentation, medication management, care planning & risk assessments etc.
- Preference-Hospital, community, care home(CH)? CH’s don’t exist in some countries-there may be misconceptions regarding skills required or opportunities available.
Some examples
IEN 1- qualified 8 yrs. ago, worked in a related industry but hasn’t gained any “hands on” clinical nursing experience or looked after groups of patients.
After a chat, the recruiter noted that they have excellent communication skills, up to date clinical knowledge & extensive leadership/management skills in a related industry.
IEN 2-qualified 1.5 yrs. ago, with 1 yr. experience in hospital.
Following a short call, the recruiter notes that although their experience is short, they have done rotational roles-medical/surgical, older adults, ED, with recent promotion to clinical lead.
The outcome and decision to interview will be between the recruiter and employer and based on many factors, however the phone call has revealed information which gives a broader picture of both nurse’s experience. Our fictional IEN’s have different backgrounds, strengths & areas for improvement, both requiring additional support but for different reasons. Which is why this should be openly discussed with them and their potential employer before interviews even take place.
Misaligned background & experience can be a barrier to OSCE & integration success. It’s still possible to pass OSCE under these circumstances but requires forward planning, adds pressure, requiring additional study time & resources.
Once an IEN is NMC registered, CH’s will provide an induction with the expectation of experience, allowing the IEN to gradually increase their independence & take responsibility for groups of residents & oversight of a care staff team. Without the right support, training & induction in place, misaligned experience or lack of experience leads to a potentially unsafe & stressful environment for all concerned, as the IEN is not only integrating into their new surroundings but also (re)learning nursing as well.
As mentioned, every individual and organisation will have differing priorities & expectations. Some employers may be able and willing to invest in additional training or extended support for the right candidate. Some employers may not have consistent staffing in place, limited resources and be unable to do this, requiring confident nurses who can “hit the ground running”. IEN’s may prefer to gain further experience before coming to the UK or they may decide to proceed with moving to the UK, based on support offered and agreements in place. None of these decisions can be made without open discussion and planning. With the right resources, it may be possible to agree on a plan & timeline to maximise the chances of successful integration & continued quality care for residents/patients.