Student Theses, Dissertations and Capstones

Document Type

Dissertation - NSU Access Only

Degree Name

Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Nursing Education

Copyright Statement

All rights reserved. This publication is intended for use solely by faculty, students, and staff of Nova Southeastern University. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, now known or later developed, including but not limited to photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods, without the prior written permission of the author or the publisher.

First Advisor

Holly Madison

Date of original Performance / Presentation

January 2025

Publication Date / Copyright Date

1-1-2025

Abstract

Background. In an increasingly global society, nurses may choose to obtain education outside of their home countries. While research studies have focused on the assimilation of these nurses in the host countries, little is known about the nurses who return home. To address the knowledge gap concerning internationally educated nurses returning to practice in their home countries, this interpretive phenomenological analysis study explored the lived experiences of internationally educated graduate Taiwanese nurses who transitioned back to Taiwan. Purpose. The purpose of this qualitative study was to investigate the transition-to-practice experiences of Taiwanese nurses who graduated from an overseas graduate school and returned to practice in Taiwan. The research questions were: (a) What are the lived experiences of Taiwanese nurses’ transitions after having received graduate education abroad in English-instructed universities to practice in Taiwan? (b) How do Taiwanese nurses make sense of the transition from receiving graduate education abroad in English-instructed universities when returning to practice in Taiwan? Theoretical Framework. Meleis’ Transition Theory was chosen as a foundational framework to guide the study and for understanding the research participants’ lived experiences. Methods. An interpretive phenomenology research design was utilized. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and 11 Taiwanese nurses were recruited. Results. The qualitative data analysis revealed six themes and 12 subthemes based on the participants’ lived experiences. The six themes and their corresponding subthemes were: (a) determination and perseverance; (b) immersion and integration: flexibility in graduate programs outside Taiwan, impacts on professional life, broadening cultural understanding, and worldview expansion; (c) enlightenment and scaffolding: acquired systematic thinking and critical thinking skills, inspiring students by sharing meaningful experiences, and evidence-based practices; (d) experiencing struggles and finding resolutions: deciding to return to Taiwan, experiencing re-entry culture shock, making changes and overcoming the challenges, and discovering the meanings behind the transition-to-practice experiences; (e) transformative shifts in roles: developing and sustaining the ability for lifelong learning; and (f) global nursing connections. Conclusions. The research participants’ transition-to-practice experiences revealed journeys of personal growth, career progression, contributions to academic advancement in the nursing field in Taiwan, and the establishment of international cooperation. The meanings attached to these experiences highlighted invaluable, life-changing opportunities and profound benefits for both personal life and professional work.

Disciplines

Nursing

Keywords

home country; international nursing graduate students; international nursing students; transition from abroad; transition to practice; transition to work

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