Abstract
The number of internationally educated nurses (IENs) who have joined the Canadian healthcare workforce has steadily increased since the mid-twentieth century. In the literature, IENs are often perceived as lacking “soft skills”. This study explored IENs’ interpretations of soft skills, and how they resist the soft skills discourse in their nursing practice. Data were collected from interviews with IENs from India, Pakistan and the Philippines who work as registered nurses (RNs) in Canada and analysed through the lens of governmentality and technologies of the self. Findings show that IENs perceive nursing procedures (“hard skills”) as inseparable from soft skills. Confronting the soft skills discourse, IENs provide holistic patient-centred care. Contrary to the deficit perspective, they demonstrate sophisticated communication and interaction skills. IENs use their transcultural knowledge and multilingual abilities to challenge the English-only policy in healthcare settings and meet the needs of patients from diverse backgrounds. This study suggests that there is a need to recognise, value and utilise IENs’ skills, knowledge and experience in Canadian healthcare.
Résumé
Résister au discours sur les compétences douces : points de vue et expériences d’infirmières formées à l’étranger et travaillant au Canada – Le nombre d’infirmières formées à l’étranger, qui ont intégré le secteur canadien des soins de santé a augmenté constamment à partir de la seconde moitié du vingtième siècle. Dans la littérature, elles sont souvent perçues comme manquant de « compétences douces ». Cette étude se penche sur la façon des infirmières formées à l’étranger d’interpréter les compétences douces et comment elles résistent au discours à leur sujet dans leur pratique professionnelle. Les données ont été recueillies dans le cadre d’interviews d’infirmières formées à l’étranger, originaires d’Inde, du Pakistan et des Philippines, et qui travaillent comme infirmières agréées au Canada. Ces informations ont été analysées par le prisme de la gouvernementalité et des techniques de soi. Les conclusions montrent que les infirmières formées à l’étranger pensent que les procédures de soins infirmiers (compétences dures) sont indissociables des compétences douces. Résistant au discours sur les compétences douces, ces infirmières dispensent des soins holistiques, axés sur le patient. Au contraire du point de vue qui avance une absence de compétences douces, elles font preuve de compétences poussées en matière de communication et d’interaction. Les infirmières formées à l’étranger s’appuient sur leur savoir transculturel et leur capacité à parler plusieurs langues pour remettre en question la politique de l’anglais langue unique dans le secteur de la santé et répondre aux besoins de patients d’horizons divers. L’étude indique qu’il faut reconnaître, apprécier et mettre à profit les compétences, les connaissances et l’expérience des infirmières formées à l’étranger dans le secteur des soins de santé au Canada.
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All participant names are pseudonyms.
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Kim, M., Guo, Y. Resisting the soft skills discourse: Perspectives and experiences of internationally educated nurses in Canada. Int Rev Educ 67, 751–770 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-021-09934-6
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11159-021-09934-6