Abstract
The Republic of Ireland has experienced difficulty in recruiting nurses to both acute and long-term care settings, including intellectual disability. Many health care providers have looked outside Ireland for nurses to provide services guaranteed under national health strategies. This article describes a small-scale study undertaken in a large service provider following the employment of a large number of Filipino nurses. The aim was to explore the expectations and experiences of a sample of 10 Filipino nurses working in Ireland for at least 3 months. A qualitative approach using a phenomenological philosophy was adopted. Data were collected using focus group discussion followed by seven individual interviews, and analysed using a framework described by Moustakas. Five themes emerged: infrastructure; expectation versus experience; understanding of intellectual disability; education; and the role of the family. The study highlights the Filipino nurses’ expressed need for more accurate and relevant information during recruitment in the Philippines.
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