The impact of bridging education programs on internationally educated nurses becoming registered nurses in high-income countries: A mixed-methods systematic review.

Aim: To synthesize the current literature on the impact of bridging education programs for internationally educated nurses (IENs) from low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) seeking to become registered nurses (RNs) in high-income countries (HICs).

Background: The issue of qualification pathways for IENs through bridging programs has garnered significant attention in contemporary discourse. The growing population of IENs in HICs has made it imperative to streamline the qualification process to facilitate their integration into the healthcare system.

Methods: Utilizing a structured review method, we sourced data between January 2023 and April 2024 from the CINAHL, Scopus, and MEDLINE databases with no year limitations. Out of 817 studies, eight were included. The mixed-methods systematic review was carried out by two authors who adhered to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist. We employed a qualitative content analysis from a feminist standpoint to assess the impact of bridging programs on the transition of IENs to become RNs.

Results: Eight studies were included (mixed methods = 1, quantitative = 3, qualitative = 4). Three themes revealed important key findings. Language proficiency emerged as a critical factor influencing success in bridging programs, with IENs needing to attain a certain level of proficiency in the local language required for licensure. Enhancing nursing competence highlighted skepticism and the need for tailored educational approaches. Transitioning into the workplace emphasized cultural challenges, highlighting the importance of targeted support for continuous integration.

Conclusion: Our findings revealed that despite previous higher education attainment in nursing and nursing experience in the home countries from LMICs, bridging programs aided IENs in transitioning and assimilating into the host country's healthcare employment sector.

Implication for nursing policy and practice: It is essential for policymakers in the education sector to integrate language instruction, cultural sensitivity training, and adapted educational approaches into bridging programs to enhance IENs' readiness for efficient healthcare delivery.