Acculturation among immigrant nurses in Israel and the United States of America

Background: Former Soviet Union (FSU) nurses in Israel and Filipino registered nurses (RNs) in the United States of America (USA) play significant roles in the delivery of health-care services in their host countries. However, little is known about how they acculturate in a different culture. Objectives: The purposes of this study were to determine the levels of and the difference in acculturation of FSU nurses in Israel and Filipino RNs in the USA. Methods: Acculturation was assessed using A Short Acculturation Scale for Filipino Americans and t-test was conducted to determine the difference in acculturation between these two groups of immigrant nurses. Findings: Results revealed that Filipino RNs have an acculturation level that leaned towards their host culture while FSU nurses have an acculturation level that was closer to their original culture than the Israeli culture and that there was a significant difference in acculturation between these two groups of immigrant nurses. Conclusions: Differences in acculturation between two predominant groups of immigrant nurses in Israel and the USA exist. Understanding the differences and the factors that affect their integration into their host cultures could be used to develop strategies to assist Filipino and FSU immigrant nurses achieve positive personal and work-related outcomes.