Diversity as a resource for the welcome culture
The international recruitment of nurses strengthens the nursing care and relieves the nursing teams.
For integration to succeed, institutions are required to actively support the nursing professionals they recruit and, at the same time, strengthen existing teams in dealing with diversity, both professionally and socially as well as culturally.
In most cases, a company is already diverse before it starts recruiting employees internationally: some have a personal immigration history, others have a family immigration history, and some speak several languages. Differences exist in areas such as sexual identity, age structure, family models, and worldview. Perhaps some colleagues have already completed their vocational training abroad.
Diversity-oriented organizational development as a cross-cutting task
Institutions that actively recruit internationally trained nursing professionals must take the various dimensions of diversity into account and utilize them to create a sustainable culture of welcome. This includes:
- Adapting training and continuing education plans to anchor diversity as a strategic cross-cutting task at all levels.
- Setting binding targets for diversity management in the corporate strategy.
- Introducing an evaluation and monitoring system to measure progress in the implementation of diversity targets.
- Establishing transparent complaint management and creating contact points that systematically process incidents and support those affected.
Recommendations of IMAP GmbH
The strengthening of the intercultural skills of employees is a central factor in achieving successful collaboration in many teams. It is not always easy to recognise whether this involves high-quality content that also takes into account the latest scientific findings, or content that may even reinforce existing stereotypes. You can find information and suggestions on how to recognise good quality intercultural training under the following link.
Training at management level
Successful integration requires management to undergo training in diversity management, discrimination-sensitive personnel management, and diversity-oriented organizational development. The latter aims to design structures and processes in organizations in such a way that diversity in all its dimensions, such as age, gender, origin, sexual identity, disability, religion, or worldview, is recognized, promoted, and integrated on an equal footing. This comprehensive and intersectional approach goes beyond intercultural openness, as it focuses in particular on equal participation and systematically addresses the elimination of structural discrimination and prejudice. It is also advisable for employees in integration management positions to undergo appropriate training. This can raise awareness among management of the needs of employees. At the same time, all participants learn about (possibly new) management tools.
The following links offer practical information and approaches to diversity management and anti-racist organizational development in companies:
Supplement the advanced training plan
Training courses and workshops can also be useful for other employees. In order to further promote a welcoming culture throughout the company, support should not only be available to nursing staff, but also to other professional groups.KOFA – the Competence Center for Securing Skilled Workers – has developed recommendations for diversity management, with a particular focus on securing both national and international skilled workers. You will find it here.
Open up career paths early on
A company should expect that internationally recruited nursing professionals will often pursue further career ambitions after obtaining their professional license and recognition. It is therefore advisable to hold personal employee interviews at an early stage to discuss which training and further education courses are desired by the individual and supported by the employer. Companies should take steps to prevent glass ceilings that block career advancement for employees with personal or family immigration histories. Training for managers is particularly important in raising awareness of this issue. This prevents disappointment and creates good career prospects, thereby helping to prevent resignations.
Recognize existing and previously acquired skills
Existing skills and qualifications, both within the existing team and among internationally recruited nursing professionals, deserve recognition and integration. Language skills and professional qualifications acquired abroad can make a valuable contribution, particularly in the context of transcultural care, to ensuring that the care provided to patients and residents is culturally sensitive and tailored to their needs. One way of showing appreciation and professional recognition is to refrain from referring to international professionals as nursing assistants during the recognition process and instead grant them the status of “nursing professional in recognition.” This strengthens their professional identity, promotes integration into the team, and emphasizes cooperation on an equal footing.
The Nursing Chamber of North Rhine-Westphalia has issued a statement on this matter. You can find it here.
Laura Camila Murcia Aristizabal, a nurse at the Sana Clinic in Offenbach, shares her experiences from the recognition process and reports on her further training as a practical instructor and in the field of intercultural communication. She shows how important continuous qualification is for personal and professional development.
Indat Tas, senior integration coordinator at the hospital, emphasizes what is important for the successful integration of internationally trained nursing professionals. Even during the application process, it is crucial to identify individual talents, areas of focus, and further development wishes. Targeted management of these aspects contributes to the long-term promotion of both employee satisfaction and the quality of patient care.
You can find the report in this interview:
Hospitations – learning from each other, improving structures
SANA Klinikum Offenbach reports how valuable it is to gain insights into how other institutions deal with similar challenges.
Through mutual visits to other institutions, standards can be established, new quality criteria developed, and natural weaknesses identified. These visits serve as a central management tool to ensure and promote operational integration. (in German language)
Promote and support internationally trained nurses with further development and reflection meetings
An interview with Markus Kowalik (creatio GmbH)
Markus Kowalik is Head of HR and Integration Management at Creatio GmbH – the operator of four fully inpatient care homes in Rhineland-Palatinate (Trier and Wittlich area). He is responsible for the entire HR department, from recruitment, integration and onboarding to personnel development with training and courses. In the interview, Markus Kowalik reports on further development and reflection meetings in which internationally trained nursing staff are individually supported in order to strengthen their skills, identify their challenges and needs at an early stage and open up prospects for their professional development.
You can find the interview here. (in German language)
The most important things for your to-do list
Employees who have been socialized and qualified abroad bring further diversity and skills to the company—both in professional and social and cultural terms. As company management, you must respond appropriately to this.
Embrace the diversity of your entire workforce and use it to create a welcoming culture, which also includes opening up your training and continuing education plan accordingly.
Provide ongoing training for management in topics such as human resources management, diversity management, and diversity-oriented organizational development. As an integration manager, implement appropriate training courses.
Offer seminars and training courses to create a good welcome culture for employee of all occupational groups in your company.
Hold personal employee appraisals with new colleagues at an early stage: Discuss which training and further education courses are desired by the individual and supported by you.
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