What challenges do internationally educated nurses (IENs) face when integrating into the UK healthcare system, according to RCN interviews?

Key points

• RCN interviews identified practical hurdles such as visa, contract, and examination issues.
• IENs reported difficulties with relocation and adjusting to UK weather.
• Understanding the NMC and the UK health system was a notable challenge.
• Language barriers included confusion caused by regional accents, colloquialisms, and local jargon.
• Safe communication required not assuming familiarity with acronyms or clinical shorthand, and IENs were encouraged to say if they did not fully understand.