Psychological Needs, Satisfaction and Intention to Migrate in Iranian Nurses: A Qualitative Content Analysis

BACKGROUND: The shortage of nurses is a global health problem and one of the main challenges for healthcare systems throughout the world including Iran. One of factors that affect the migration trends is psychological needs satisfaction. This study aimed at identifying the psychological factors which persuade Iranian nurses to migrate and suggesting necessary measures in this regard. METHODS: This qualitative study was conducted through a traditional content analysis approach on 20 working Iranian nurses who are migrating to other countries between 2015 and 2017. Data were collected through interviews and observation in different wards of hospitals in Iran. Data were written and analyzed after reduction, naming them, obtaining analytical codes, and identifying the categories and subcategories using traditional method. RESULTS: Three main categories in relation to satisfaction of the psychological needs and reasons for migration were obtained after data analysis. The first category was “authority” with two subcategories of independent decision-making power and being unconsidered, the second category was “social support” with three subcategories of communication with health team members, communication with nurse colleagues, and communication with nurse managers, and the third category was “job promotion” with four subcategories of addressing the routines, nurse role, job promotion opportunities, and teaching organizational environment. CONCLUSION: Identifying problems and obstacles to achieve the goal is the first step to solve the problem. This study provided further and clearer understanding of psychological causes regarding decision of nurses to migrate to developed countries, and nurses noted that the decision to migrate is in the search to meet their psychological needs.