Beyond Borders: Exploring the Experiences and Challenges of Ghanaian Nurses in Barbados Through Video-Based Analysis

Abstract

Migration of nurses continues to be a problem facing most African countries because governments are not able to absorb graduate nurses into the local health system. Because of this, some governments have resorted to bilateral agreements with other western countries to export nurses. Ghana has not been immunised against this social phenomenon. The government, through a bilateral agreement with the government of Barbados, has sent some nurses to the island. However, among the studies that have looked at the experiences of migrant nurses, the challenges and experiences of Ghanaian nurses in Barbados have not been explored. This paper explored the experiences and challenges of Ghanaian nurses in Barbados using video-based analysis, relying on three already existing videos of some of the nurses on YouTube. It was found that although the political environment was not favourable, the nurses were happy with the government’s decision to export nurses. Further, it was found that the government of Ghana does not play its supervisory role over the contracts to ensure that items in the contract are observed, which affects the nurses sent there.