The expectations and experiences of Filipino nurses working in an intellectual disability service in the Republic of Ireland.

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. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]