Perhaps a more appropriate question is why not? Scott O'Carroll, president of a travel nursing agency, admitted that he could talk for hours about the various personal and professional reasons that prompt foreign travel nurses to come to the States. But he summed it up this way: "The primary appeal of the U.S. is that there's no better place on earth to be."

Career development is a major consideration for many nurses from countries such as Canada, England, Ireland, and the Philippines who decide to work as travel nurses in the U.S. "These nurses have so many choices open to them that they don't have in their home countries," O'Carroll said.

Grant Campbell, assistant vice-president for marketing and business development for a travel nursing agency, agreed and noted the U.S. offers advanced technologies and treatments that may not be readily available or may exceed those in other parts of the world. This gives travel nurses the opportunity to enhance their nursing skills.

Financial considerations play a role too. For example, taxes are lower in the U.S. than in Canada, England, Ireland, and many other foreign countries, O'Carroll noted. "There's much more disposable income available to nurses who come here, which translates to an improved quality of life," he said.

Of course, many foreign nurses travel to the U.S. just for the fun of it. "For some foreign nurses, the difference in lifestyle here is not that significant," said Leo Blatz, RN, president of a travel nurse agency. "They tend to travel for the adventure."

Acclimation and assimilation
Foreign nurses come to the U.S. with high expectations of opportunities and good experiences. But it's not always easy for them to adjust to life in the U.S. "Assimilation is a challenge," said O'Carroll. "The upheaval of moving from country to country isn't to be underestimated, although it often is. Leaving everything that's familiar can be traumatic." "What helps get foreign nurses over this hurdle is that they come to the U.S. as highly valued professionals," said Campbell. "But they do face challenges in transition. Dissimilar cultural and political environments can be a problem for nurses who don't have any friends in this country. They're more likely to become lonely."

At Campbell's agency, staff try to predict which foreign nurses could have problems adjusting. "When we interview potential foreign travel nurses, we look for 'red flags' that might make it more challenging for them to transition to the U.S.," he said.

"We access potential candidates not only to determine if they have the necessary clinical skills and educational level, but also to make sure they have the behavioral and social skills needed to be successful living somewhere new on their own."

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