2021-Nuala Ryan


A stakeholder informed evidenced based approach to understanding and informing talent management practices for international nurses in healthcare organisations


Dr Nuala Ryan, University of Limerick – A stakeholder informed evidenced based approach to understanding and informing talent management practices for international nurses in healthcare organisations

Co-Investigator: Dr Elaine Berkery, University of Limerick

Project summary: Healthcare systems globally are facing substantial challenges in the recruitment and retention of nursing staff. WHO states that nurses and midwives account for nearly 50% of the global health workforce and the world is about 5.9 million short of what it needs. In response to this challenge healthcare organisations are designing and implementing talent management frameworks, more commonly seen in business world, to get ahead of the vacancy curve. Talent management as an integrated strategy acknowledges human capital as an organisation’s greatest asset. It is the effective use of focused activities to attract, identify, develop, and retain individuals who are considered to be talented based on an inclusive ideology. Studies indicate that better talent management practices in the public healthcare sector can lead to positive patient outcomes, more productive staff and better return on investment. Without talent management practices our ability to attract and retain ‘the best and the brightest nurses’ is hindered (Elkady et. al, 2019, pp. 1). The aim of this work is to develop and complete a research study designed to understand and inform talent management practices for international nurses in the healthcare sector, as they are a strategically important group. The NHS for example has become heavily reliant of international nurses with foreign-trained nurses accounting for 15% of the total of registered nurses in 2019. By gathering and analysing the relevant data, a stakeholder informed evidence-based approach to talent management for this cohort can be informed, as a way of improving performance of healthcare providers.

Draft publication - Talent Management practices for internationally trained nurses