Professional identity of Korean nurse practitioners in the United States

Background: Despite nurse practitioners’ (NPs) professional identity having important implications for the confirmation of nursing practice characteristics, few studies have examined the professional identity of NPs overlaid with the immigrant experience. Purpose: The aim of this study was to explore the career characteristics of Korean nurse immigrants who became NPs in the United States. Methods: Seven Korean NPs in the United States underwent in-depth interviews from August 2013 to May 2015. Content analysis was employed for data analysis. Results: Five themes were identified regarding their professional identity as NPs: patient-centered thinking, responsibility for patient care, dedicated life, diligence, and feelings of achievement. Of these, patient-centered thinking appeared to be the overriding theme. Conclusions: The findings add to nursing knowledge about immigrant nurses and their abilities and striving to develop into new roles in nursing. The participants focused on listening, interpersonal relationships, and education in patient care, which helped differentiate their roles from those of other healthcare professionals. Implications for practice: Nurse managers should consider the study findings when making policies to assist immigrant nurses to acculturate into practice, and there is a need for the development of educational materials to guide and promote the NPs’ professional role.