Nurses’ experiences of a recertification process involving a series of examinations to obtain a nursing license in a new country

Aim To examine internationally educated nurses’ (IENs’) experiences of the recertification process when undergoing a series of examinations to test their nursing knowledge and skills and, thereby, obtain a Swedish nursing license. Design A qualitative study with a descriptive design. Methods A convenience sample of 15 IENs at the end of the recertification process was included. Data were collected using semi‐structured telephone interviews between September 2019 and January 2021 and analysed using qualitative content analysis. Results Conducting the recertification process to obtain a Swedish nursing license was challenging in many ways, and the nurses described a rollercoaster of emotions during the process: frustration, loneliness, stress and anxiety, but also happiness, pride and relief. The process was, for some, so demanding they almost gave up, and support was, therefore crucial for the nurses. However, many times, they had to struggle to find out where they could turn for help or guidance. Conclusion The nurses found the formal support during the recertification process to be inadequate and inaccessible. For this reason, and to decrease the risk of nurses dropping out and instead taking unlicensed jobs, there is a need to develop and introduce more supportive structures and to make the existing support and information more accessible for the nurses. Impact This study highlights the importance of offering accessible support during a demanding and challenging recertification process. These findings can help policymakers develop and introduce supportive structures in the process of recertification for IENs.