RhPAP is investing $25,000 in a research project to learn more about the experiences of internationally educated nurses (IENs) who work and live in rural Alberta.
The project funded through RhPAP’s Rural Research and Quality Improvement Grant Program closely follows a provincial announcement last fall that will see about 70 international nurses hired to ease the healthcare staffing shortages rural Alberta communities face.
The “Internationally Educated Nurses’ Experience of Rural Alberta Nursing Practice: A Mixed Methods Study” will collect information from where internationally trained nurses already call home in Alberta, or soon will be.
Dr. Monique Sedgwick, a registered nurse and associate professor with the Faculty of Health Sciences at the University of Lethbridge, shares the mission behind their project: “The more we know, the better we can support these nurses and hopefully retain them as part of the rural nursing workforce.”
Joined by Dr. Helen Kelley from the university’s Dhillon School of Business, the pair are focusing their research in communities where these nurses are working to make a difference. But they are not just crunching numbers—they are getting down to the nitty-gritty by chatting with these nurses, hearing their stories on and off the clock.
Until now, not much research has been conducted on how these nurses have integrated into rural life and work. Often posted to communities in the heavily forested areas of Northern Alberta or small towns sprinkled throughout central Alberta, these rural settings are often in stark contrast to the large urban environments many hail from overseas.
Dr. Sedgwick hopes the $50,700 study (including in-kind work) will be welcomed by stakeholders like Alberta Health Services and Covenant Health which hire the nurses. She expects rural communities—many of whom have worked extensively with RhPAP on healthcare attraction and retention initiatives—will also find the information useful in recruitment efforts, training and keeping the nurses around for the long haul.
While now an educator, Dr. Sedgwick’s own passion for rural healthcare stems from her nursing beginnings in Bonnyville, Alberta. She believes it’s important to understand the nuances rural nursing brings to better serve the IENs and the communities where they work.
“My experience working in rural as an RN is that it truly is an exciting place to work because you take care of people from across the lifespan with all kinds of things happening in terms of their health. It’s challenging and never boring.”
But it’s not all smooth sailing. Rural nursing throws its fair share of curveballs, from limited staff and resources to unique challenges that demand creative solutions. Dr. Sedgwick knows firsthand the importance of building strong relationships with coworkers, pooling knowledge and skills to tackle whatever comes their way.
Their study is pulling out all the stops—individual and group interviews, surveys, and even snapping a few photos along the way. And by 2025, they will be ready to share what it’s really like for these international nurses making their mark in rural Alberta.
Dr. Sedgwick is excited to be part of this journey, and she’s thankful for RhPAP’s support and everyone pitching in to make it happen.
She says, “If we can make a difference in the IENs’ experiences and help inform the stakeholders, that’s exciting for us as researchers.”