As a lecturer I tell my international nursing students you must be confident and state your case.
Be curious, ask questions, don’t settle for the easy option. And never give up on what you want to achieve, whatever obstacles get in your way.
It’s certainly more challenging for international nursing students today than when I was recruited to the NHS. It was 2001 when I made the move from Kerala, India.
Starting at Manchester Infirmary with 11 others, we were immediately welcomed and celebrated.
Recruited as nurses, for us, it was set in stone that we would get a job at the end of our education, but today there’s much less certainty.
A sense of belonging
All nursing students face challenges of course, but there are layers of complexity for international nursing students – from the emotional aspect, including feeling homesick – to placement difficulties, communication barriers and financial issues.
They can feel a diminished sense of belonging.
We need to be cheering them on and helping them reach their potential
There are also differences in culture and learning that need to be accounted for – this can be a tricky transition, not just due to the language but also understanding assignment briefs and assessment criteria.
While domestic students will have some kind of orientation and experience of the UK health system, international nursing students must navigate as they go. It can take time for things to click into place.
Awareness of these unique complexities they face is key among peers, lecturers and colleagues.
International nursing students have become a cornerstone of the UK’s health care workforce pipeline and bring invaluable strengths to academic and clinical settings – they’re not just passive recipients of our culture, but are positive, fundamental contributors.
We need to be cheering them on and helping them reach their potential. And to do this there needs to be much better support at all levels.
We shouldn’t be spoon‑feeding, of course. I often think of the butterfly in the cocoon – it needs the struggle to emerge and grow strong. But support is fundamental.
The challenge should exist, but with a safety net in place.
Without the grit, there's no pearl
If we can provide the right guidance, at the right time, they’re much more likely to thrive in their future nursing careers.
It was for this reason I led on the production of a toolkit to support international nursing students with the delicate transition to higher education institutions in the UK.
Developed by the collaborate effort of the Network of Internationally Educated Nurse Academics, with technical support from Brian Taggart at Liverpool John Moores University, Arrive and Thrive - A toolkit for Transition to UK Higher Education: Supporting International Nursing Students is designed to help both students and academics.
It covers four key elements: applying, arriving, adapting, achieving. And addresses five of the major challenges:
- socio-cultural
- financial
- emotional
- language and communication
- clinical placement.
I’m really proud of it. Nothing else like this exists out there. We want people to read it, use it, and share it.
For some time, each university has been doing its own thing, so we hope this toolkit will bring some consistency.
Remember the huge value of leaning on each other
We’ve designed it to be user-friendly and while it supports the holistic wellbeing and academic success of international nursing students, it’s also a useful tool for academics to better support them.
Overcoming challenges
Despite the difficulties international nursing students may experience I always say to my students that if I could get to where I am, you can too.
My goal from day one was to be a lecturer and I’ve done just that. If you can keep your eye on the goal, you can succeed.
Think of difficulties like the sand in an oyster – the sand builds up to form the pearl. Without the grit, there’s no pearl. Don’t give up.
About Dr Dilla Davis
Dr Dilla Davis is a lecturer in nurse education and researcher at King’s College London, where she is the programme lead of the BSc nursing programme (hons), in partnership with Ngee Ann Academy, Singapore.
She is also a member of the RCN International Committee, which advises RCN Council on issues that affect nursing staff around the world.
Find out more
The RCN provides a range of information and signposting for international nursing members – from how to register as a nurse and find a job, to common English expressions explained.
