Factors Related to Asian Foreign-Educated Nurses’ (FENs) Turnover.

Over the past fifty years, while FENs have been adjusting to a new environment, they experienced an inevitable set of challenges very specific to this population. These challenges can prove burdensome to Asian FENs compared to FENs from Western countries because of their cultural differences and lack of language fluency. However, little understanding exists regarding Asian FENs’ characteristics and their expectations for future career goals. This study examined their unmet expectations (gap), unique organizational experiences (i.e., orientation, health experiences, job search behaviors) and the relationships of these factors to turnover in their first year of U.S. employment. A cross-sectional design was employed in this study. A total of 201 Asian FENs working in U.S. health care settings were included. Subjects responded either via web based or mail survey. A series of simple and multi-variable logistic regressions were utilized to determine factors associated with turnover. Findings indicated that expectations FENs had before migration or organizational entry were significantly higher (M = 3.4.5 ~ 3.72) than FENs’ actual experiences after migration or entry (M = 3.20 ~ 3.39) (p < 0.001). FENs who reported a gap in terms of occupying an important role in the organization (responsibility) were more likely to leave their first employment in order to move to another organization (OR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.01- 1.13, p = 0.017) or unit (OR: 1.06, 95% CI:1.01- 1.12, p = 0.017). Perceptions regarding orientation quality and affective commitment predicted organizational level turnover. There was no moderating effect of gap on the relationships between the two predictors and turnover. Asian FENs’ turnover was more dependent on organization-related experiences than on individual nurse’s efforts to find other positions (job search behaviors). Future studies including larger sample sizes, a variety of health care settings and Asian FENs from additional countries of origin are recommended.PHDNursingUniversity of Michigan, Horace H. Rackham School of Graduate Studieshttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/96060/1/geunhyo_1.pd