Nursing Beyond Borders: The Indonesian Diaspora

What is it about?

**Nursing Beyond Borders: The Indonesian Diaspora** provides an in-depth look at the experiences of Indonesian nurses working abroad. This book offers a unique perspective on how these nurses navigate their careers in foreign healthcare systems, the challenges they face, and the contributions they make to global health. Indonesian nurses are increasingly migrating to countries like Japan, Kuwait, and the Netherlands in search of better opportunities, higher wages, and professional growth. However, while these moves offer career advancements, many face hurdles such as deskilling—where they work in lower positions than their qualifications—cultural and language barriers, and sometimes discrimination. The book examines these challenges and how nurses overcome them through adaptation and resilience. It also delves into the impact of nurse migration on Indonesia, discussing both the benefits—such as the skills these nurses bring back when they return—and the drawbacks, like brain drain, where the country loses highly trained professionals to more developed nations. Through personal stories, research findings, and policy recommendations, the book aims to shed light on the lived experiences of these migrant nurses and their influence on healthcare systems, both in their host countries and Indonesia. The insights from this book are valuable for policymakers, healthcare leaders, and nursing educators who are involved in international nurse recruitment, education, and support. By understanding the specific challenges faced by Indonesian nurses abroad, stakeholders can create better support systems that benefit both migrant nurses and the healthcare systems they serve. Ultimately, the book advocates for fairer and more sustainable global migration policies that protect the rights and well-being of nurses.

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Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash

Photo by Hush Naidoo Jade Photography on Unsplash

Why is it important?

The importance of **Nursing Beyond Borders: The Indonesian Diaspora** lies in its focus on a critical, yet often underrepresented, aspect of global healthcare: the migration of nurses. This phenomenon plays a crucial role in shaping both the healthcare systems of receiving countries and the workforce dynamics of the nurses' home countries, like Indonesia. By shedding light on the experiences and challenges faced by Indonesian migrant nurses, the book offers several key insights that are vital to understanding global health dynamics. First, it highlights the issue of **deskilling**, where highly trained nurses are often employed in lower positions than their qualifications allow in their host countries. This not only limits their professional growth but also prevents them from fully contributing their skills to the healthcare system. Understanding this helps advocate for better recognition of qualifications and skills in global migration policies. Second, the book addresses the **cultural and linguistic challenges** these nurses face, which affect their ability to integrate into foreign healthcare settings and deliver quality care. This is important for improving training and support for migrant healthcare workers, ensuring they can thrive in new environments. Third, the migration of nurses also creates a **brain drain** in their home countries, where their absence can weaken local healthcare systems. By discussing this, the book raises awareness of the need for sustainable migration policies that benefit both source and destination countries. Ultimately, the book’s focus on the real-life experiences of these nurses can inform **policymakers and healthcare leaders** to create better support systems, foster global collaboration, and advocate for ethical recruitment and fair treatment of migrant healthcare workers.

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