Intrinsic Motivation and Career Satisfaction Among Immigrant Health Care Workers

Caribbean immigrants are vital to the U.S. health care workforce, yet they face barriers that often hinder their career satisfaction and well-being. This qualitative study aimed to explore how intrinsic motivations, specifically competence, autonomy, and relatedness, shape the career experiences of Caribbean immigrants in health care. Using self-determination theory as the theoretical framework, this study addressed the research question of how these intrinsic motivations shape immigrant experiences in the U.S. health care sector. Data were collected from 10 Caribbean immigrants who were naturalized U.S. citizens using semistructured, audio-recorded interviews. The data were thematically analyzed to detect patterns and themes. The findings revealed that participants initially faced challenges, such as the nonrecognition of foreign credentials, language barriers, and feeling undervalued, negatively impacting their intrinsic motivations. However, competence, autonomy, and relatedness became sources of career satisfaction as participants pursued further education, skill development, and leadership opportunities. Key themes highlighted the need for cultural competence, fair treatment, and supportive workplaces. This study contributes to the limited research on Caribbean immigrants’ career experiences in health care and highlights the need for organizations to foster environments that support immigrant workers’ intrinsic motivations. Implications for positive social change include the potential for health care organizations to implement culturally sensitive training and career development programs that can enhance the job satisfaction and well-being of immigrant workers, ultimately improving the quality of care provided to diverse patient populations.