Simply not there: the impact of international migration of nurses and midwives--perspectives from Guyana

Abstract

The shortage of nurses and midwives across the world and the migratory trends of these scarce professionals--primarily from low-income countries to fill staffing needs in high-income countries--are critical international health care issues. This article reviews some of the demographic, educational, and socioeconomic factors driving this global trend, the impact on health care delivery in low-income countries, and the effect on the implementation of global public health initiatives. Nurses and midwives migrate from low-income nations while concurrently qualified applicants are rejected from educational programs in high-income countries. The impact of migration on the viability of the health care delivery system in Guyana, South America, is presented as an exemplar nation within the broader global context of ethical dilemmas, pressures on educational systems, and the anti- and pro-migration arguments.