Challenges facing internationalisation of nursing practice, nurse education and nursing workforce in Australia

Abstract

This paper examines factors that have lead to increasing internationalisation in nursing workforce and nursing education and contends that education and support for nurse managers and nurse academics is required in order to better prepare them for the challenges they will face. There are many benefits to be gained from internationalisation of nursing, the most significant being greater cross-cultural understanding and improved practices in workplaces across countries. However, the way in which nursing and nurses contribute to the international agenda is crucial to maintaining standards of education and nursing care in Australia and in countries with whom Australians collaborate. Internationalisation poses numerous challenges that need to be carefully thought through. This paper seeks to unravel and scrutinize some of the issues central to internationalisation in nursing, particularly in the Australian context.