Working in Canada or the United States: perceptions of canadian nurses living in a border community.

Recruitment and retention of registered nurses is a critical issue facing nursing leaders. Global shortages of nurses have been projected over the next decade. This study used the theoretical framework of push and pull factors to identify influences on nurses' decision to select work in either their home community or a cross-border community, when that opportunity was available to them. Registered nurses living along the southwest border of Ontario were identified with the assistance of the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO) and surveyed to determine the factors that influenced their decision to work in Canada or the United States, as well as their intent to remain in their current workplace. Measures included demographic information, reasons for selection of employment, and work environment factors relating to nurses' jobs, work relationships, scheduling/staffing, workload and attachment to their current place of employment. MANCOVA was used to examine differences between the two groups controlling for age, organizational tenure and employment status. Full-time employment was the greatest push factor identified by RNs, and nurses working in the United States were also more satisfied with the pull factors of development opportunities, relationships with physicians and supervisors, and scheduling congruence. Recommendations for recruitment and retention are discussed.