Hospitals look overseas to fill nurse vacancies

In 2021, scores of hospitals looked overseas for nurses who could fill their vacancies, and the demand created a backlog of more than 5,000 international nurses awaiting visa approval, the American Association of International Healthcare Recruitment reported last fall. Staffing agencies also said demand for international recruits had mushroomed. The State Department attributed the backlog to closures and reduced hours at embassies in the nurses’ home countries, where visas are processed. Nurses born abroad account for roughly one in six nurses employed in the United States. (HealthLeaders Media article, 1/7/22)