Migrant healthcare assistants’ decision to work in long-term care

Q3 Social Sciences

Journal of Comparative Social Work Pub Date : 2023-12-21 DOI:10.31265/jcsw.v18i2.690

Vyda Mamley Hervie

{"title":"Migrant healthcare assistants’ decision to work in long-term care","authors":"Vyda Mamley Hervie","doi":"10.31265/jcsw.v18i2.690","DOIUrl":null,"url":null,"abstract":"In high-income countries, population ageing has a significant impact on the labour force and care demands. As a result, the tendency is to rely on migrant workers to meet workforce and care demands. Drawing on insights from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study focused on unskilled migrant healthcare assistants in Norway’s long-term care. The objectives were to explore factors influencing the decision of unskilled migrant healthcare assistants to work in elderly care, sources of knowledge about work in elderly care, and challenges encountered in elderly care work. The key research questions were as follows: a) What factors influence the decision of migrant healthcare assistants to work in elderly care? b) What are the sources of knowledge/information about work in elderly care for migrant healthcare assistants? c) What are some of the challenges of working in elderly care for migrant healthcare assistants? Qualitative research and purposive sampling were used to recruit 20 participants: 13 unskilled migrant healthcare assistants and seven managers of long-term care facilities in South-Eastern and Northern Norway. Data were collected using in-depth individual interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation, and thematically analysed.\nFindings indicated that factors influencing unskilled migrant healthcare assistants' decision to work in the elderly care sector included cultural norms and values of caring for older people, nonrecognition of overseas qualifications and economic considerations. State-organized language learning programmes, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) offices, as well as migrant family and community networks, provided crucial information about work in elderly care. Challenges regarding lack of career progression, temporary working contracts, low status and poor wages emerged. In conclusion, meaningful employment outcome through better opportunities for career progression are essential for unskilled migrant healthcare assistants’ well-being and care for older people. It would be useful for long-term care policymakers and stakeholders to address the challenges faced by its aged care workforce.","PeriodicalId":37599,"journal":{"name":"Journal of Comparative Social Work","volume":null,"pages":null},"PeriodicalIF":0.0000,"publicationDate":"2023-12-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":"0","resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":null,"PeriodicalName":"Journal of Comparative Social Work","FirstCategoryId":"1085","ListUrlMain":"https://doi.org/10.31265/jcsw.v18i2.690","RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":null,"ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":null,"EPubDate":"","PubModel":"","JCR":"Q3","JCRName":"Social Sciences","Score":null,"Total":0}

引用次数: 0

Abstract

In high-income countries, population ageing has a significant impact on the labour force and care demands. As a result, the tendency is to rely on migrant workers to meet workforce and care demands. Drawing on insights from Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory, this study focused on unskilled migrant healthcare assistants in Norway’s long-term care. The objectives were to explore factors influencing the decision of unskilled migrant healthcare assistants to work in elderly care, sources of knowledge about work in elderly care, and challenges encountered in elderly care work. The key research questions were as follows: a) What factors influence the decision of migrant healthcare assistants to work in elderly care? b) What are the sources of knowledge/information about work in elderly care for migrant healthcare assistants? c) What are some of the challenges of working in elderly care for migrant healthcare assistants? Qualitative research and purposive sampling were used to recruit 20 participants: 13 unskilled migrant healthcare assistants and seven managers of long-term care facilities in South-Eastern and Northern Norway. Data were collected using in-depth individual interviews, focus group discussions and participant observation, and thematically analysed. Findings indicated that factors influencing unskilled migrant healthcare assistants' decision to work in the elderly care sector included cultural norms and values of caring for older people, nonrecognition of overseas qualifications and economic considerations. State-organized language learning programmes, Norwegian Labour and Welfare Administration (NAV) offices, as well as migrant family and community networks, provided crucial information about work in elderly care. Challenges regarding lack of career progression, temporary working contracts, low status and poor wages emerged. In conclusion, meaningful employment outcome through better opportunities for career progression are essential for unskilled migrant healthcare assistants’ well-being and care for older people. It would be useful for long-term care policymakers and stakeholders to address the challenges faced by its aged care workforce.

查看原文本刊更多论文

移民医护助理决定从事长期护理工作

在高收入国家，人口老龄化对劳动力和护理需求产生了重大影响。因此，人们倾向于依靠移民工人来满足劳动力和护理需求。本研究借鉴了布朗芬布伦纳（Bronfenbrenner）的生态系统理论，重点关注挪威长期护理领域的非熟练移民医疗助理。研究目标是探讨影响非熟练移民医护助理决定从事老年护理工作的因素、老年护理工作的知识来源以及在老年护理工作中遇到的挑战。主要研究问题如下：a) 影响外来医护助理决定从事老年护理工作的因素有哪些？ b) 外来医护助理有关老年护理工作的知识/信息来源有哪些？采用定性研究和目的性抽样的方法招募了 20 名参与者：其中包括13名非熟练移民医疗助理和7名挪威东南部和北部长期护理机构的管理人员。研究结果表明，影响非熟练移民医护助理决定在老年护理行业工作的因素包括护理老年人的文化规范和价值观、不承认海外学历以及经济因素。国家组织的语言学习计划、挪威劳动与福利局（NAV）办事处以及移民家庭和社区网络提供了有关老年护理工作的重要信息。在缺乏职业发展、临时工作合同、地位低下和工资微薄等方面出现了挑战。总之，通过提供更好的职业发展机会来实现有意义的就业结果，对于非熟练移民医护助理的福祉和老年人护理工作至关重要。长期护理政策的制定者和利益相关者有必要解决老年护理人员面临的挑战。

本文章由计算机程序翻译，如有差异，请以英文原文为准。

求助全文

约1分钟内获得全文求助全文

来源期刊

Journal of Comparative Social Work Social Sciences-Social Sciences (miscellaneous)

CiteScore

0.80

自引率

0.00%

发文量

审稿时长

25 weeks

期刊介绍： This journal promotes contributions, discussions and an exchange of knowledge on Social Work issues. Social Work is a line of work carried out by trained professionals, or "Social Workers", in many different countries. Accordingly, the nature of social work can vary widely. However, its broad aim is to assess and meet people''s social needs by providing services that enable them to live in safety, independence and dignity. In order to appropriately cater to the needs of the people they serve, the practices, aims and values of Social Workers must reflect the cultural and social norms of the society in which they operate. Comparative social work emphasizes comparative studies of social work between different countries, cultures and contexts. The journal aims to support practitioners and academics alike through its discussions of matters relevant to Social Work Practice. This journal publishes two types of peer-reviewed scientific articles on subjects of importance for social work, with a special emphasis on comparative research on different aspects. This includes: -Comparative studies -Single site studies that also generate insight and knowledge in various geographical/cultural and national settings. We also welcome essays discussing/reflecting relevant subjects from an individual point of view, and at least two members of our editorial board will review such papers (maximum of 3,000 words). The JCSW was founded in 2006 and is currently hosted by the University of Stavanger, in cooperation with the University of Agder and the University of Nordland.