Culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students' experiences of integration into the working environment: A qualitative study

Abstract

Understanding how culturally and linguistically diverse students experience clinical practice and their competence development is important to retaining registered nurses. This study aimed to describe culturally and linguistically diverse students' experiences of clinical practice, perceptions of their career path, and intentions to stay in the nursing profession. A descriptive qualitative study was conducted. The participants were culturally and linguistically diverse nursing students (n = 22) from six Finnish higher education institutions. Nine focus-group interviews, with up to six students per group, were conducted during the spring and summer of 2021. Data were analysed using inductive content analysis. The factors which affected culturally and linguistically diverse students' intentions to stay in nursing profession in Finland consisted of support during university studies and clinical practice, perceived equality, nursing competence development, successful integration into the workplace and social life, and clinical practice experiences. The results support the development of a model for culturally and linguistically diverse nurses' integration into the Finnish health care settings by identifying the key factors for an effective transition to the profession.