Empowering Nursing Newcomers Program

NCT07500688 | Recruiting DMC

• 1 other identifier: 22944
• Study Type: observational
• Target: 227
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

In the Netherlands, more and more nurses with an international background, such as refugees and migrants, are starting to work in healthcare. Many of them already have a lot of knowledge and experience, but it is not always easy to quickly adapt to the Dutch healthcare system and a new language. That is why the programme "Empowering Newcomers Nurses" was developed. This study aims to better understand how the programme works in practice. Participants and supervisors will be asked about their experiences to identify what works well and what could be improved. The costs and the benefits are also taken into account. The results will be used to further improve the programme. It will also be assessed whether the work environment is inclusive and welcoming for participants. For example, this may involve (unconscious) microaggressions, exclusion, or negative comments, including those that may be discriminatory or racist. By making these experiences visible, it becomes easier to address them and make improvements. In addition, scientific articles will be published so that other hospitals can also learn from these insights. Who can participate? Nursing newcomers who are already participating in the programme or who will start the programme soon are invited to take part in the study. Sometimes participants with another paramedical background also take part. For this study, it is expected that over a period of 9 years about 160-230 participants will take part in total, of whom 120-150 will be from the northern region of the Netherlands. This number is not strictly required, but it helps to better understand how the programme works, what works well, and where improvements may be possible. In this way, a more complete picture of the programme can be obtained.

Conditions

Education, Professional; Refugees; Nursing; Migrants; Cultural Diversity

Keywords

Cultural Diversity; Refugees; Credentialing; Nursing; Education, Professional; Transients and Migrants; Social Integration

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Proportion participants progressing as planned or successfully completing the program

  The proportion of participants who either progressed as planned, successfully completed the program by obtaining a (conditional) certificate of professional competence, or transitioned to employment as care assistants

  From enrolment through programme completion (up to 36 months)

Secondary Outcomes (4)

• Societal business case

  Approximately 2-3, 6 and 9 years after study start.

• Qualitative analysis

  Approximately 2-3, 6 and 9 years after study start.

• The influence of WEF-identified skills on the need for additional guidance

  Approximately 5, 7 and 9 years after study start.

• Racial microaggressions in the workplace assessed using the modified Racial Microaggressions Scale (RMAS)

  Approximately 5-6 years and 9 years after study start.

Study Arms (1)

Nursing newcomers

Fasttrack integration trajectory

Eligibility Criteria

• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17), Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)
• Sampling Method: Non-Probability Sample

Study Population

The study population consists of newcomers to the Netherlands with a nursing background including refugees with residence status and other migrants. Participants have obtained a nursing qualification outside the Netherlands and enroll in a program designed to support their integration into the Dutch healthcare system.

You may qualify if:

• refugee or migrant with a nursing background or other paramedical background and sufficient indications that the relevant hospital department is prepared to cooperate in a fast-track integration trajectory
• holding at least a diploma equivalent to the Dutch MBO-4 level
• having practical experience, preferably in a hospital setting
• residence in one of the three northern provinces
• sufficient learning capacity to participate in a language course at the University of Groningen's Language Centre based on the intake and, if available, a study skills test
• a successful application interview

You may not qualify if:

• diploma lower than Dutch MBO-4 level
• refugee or migrant with a background as medical doctor

Sponsors & Collaborators

• University Medical Center Groningen: lead

Study Sites (1)

University Medical Center Groningen

Groningen, Provincie Groningen, 9713 GZ, Netherlands

RECRUITING

Related Links

• This link provides access to an online registration form for the Newcomers in Nursing program. The form allows newcomers living in the Netherlands who have a nursing background obtained abroad to express their interest in participating in the program.

Central Study Contacts

Arthur Wijsmuller, MD PhD

CONTACT

+31625646662; a.r.wijsmuller@umcg.nl

Petra Veltman

CONTACT

+31629442932; p.m.v.veltman@umcg.nl

Study Design

• Study Type: observational
• Observational Model: COHORT
• Time Perspective: OTHER
• Target Duration: 3 Years
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: SPONSOR

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: March 9, 2026
• First Posted: March 30, 2026
• Study Start: March 4, 2022
• Primary Completion: April 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): March 1, 2031
• Last Updated: March 30, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-03

Locations

NL (1)