A Systematic Review of Nurses' Emigration: Innovative Approaches towards managing it

There has been increased concern about achieving universal health coverage in Nigeria. The migration of nurses to industrialized countries creates a vacuum in the origin country leading to insufficient professionals to manage the already poor health care situations. It is however important to note that adequately trained, fairly distributed and motivated health workers are impetus to improving the global health and achieving universal health coverage and sustainable development goal. An extensive systematic literature review was conducted according to the PRISMA guideline. Pubmed, Conchrane, Scopus, Global Health, Scientific Electronic Library Online and national news article was searched from 2006 to 2024. Studies related to nurses migration, its impact on the emigrating nurses and the general public were included. This review shows that there is massive migration of nurses globally especially in developing country such as Nigeria causing a significant brain drain, having its impact on the remaining workforce due to shortage, reduced quality of health to its citizen. Several factors which has been classified into pull and push factors has been implicated to be the cause, push factors such as poor remuneration and working condition, unstable economy and political environment, limited career and educational opportunity to mention a few. Pull factors namely attractive salary and retirement package, better employment opportunity and recognition of professional expertise. Nurses’ migration to developed countries in search of better opportunities has caused brain drain in Nigeria which has reflected on the health sector. It is therefore important to address push and pull factors in achieving a universal health coverage. Favourable policies should be adopted with proper remuneration and non-monetary incentives to encourage professionals to stay in their country of origin and implemented to reduce the exodus of nurses leaving in large droves and achieve better health for all.