Gone South: why canadian nurses migrate to the United States.

The movement of Canadian nurses to the United States increased over the past decade and is an ongoing concern of health policy analysts. This study examines why Canadian nurses emigrate to the United States and whether there is interest in returning to work in Canada. A survey of Canadian-educated nurses in North Carolina showed that lack of full-time work opportunities played a key role in emigration. Focus groups of respondents revealed deep dissatisfaction with many aspects of nursing practice in Canada, particularly undervaluing of the profession. There is an urgent need for healthcare policy makers to explore what should be done to reduce the loss of this critical human resource.