| Abstract
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Internationally-educated nurses come from a wide range of educational programs around the world and bring a variety of skills and abilities to Canada. This study used grounded theory method to explicate the experiences of internationally-educated nurses as they began their journeys of becoming registered nurses in Toronto, Ontario. The aim of this research was to develop substantive theory of this phenomenon. The sample consisted of 17 internationally-educated nurses who represented the countries of England, Hong Kong, India, Iran, Mainland China, Nigeria, Philippines, and Poland. All participants were employed as registered nurses in a variety of health care settings in the Greater Toronto Area. The data were collected using informal interviews, observations, field notes and one group meeting. Theoretical sampling was used to achieve maximum representation within the sample. Data were analyzed using the constant comparative method. Data collection and analysis occurred simultaneously over a period of seven months. A substantive theory, "Actualizing the Dream," emerged. The data analysis resulted in the generation of four categories and corresponding sub-categories that included: Initiating the Journey (sub-categories: inquiring, acting, and succeeding); Competing for Employment (sub-categories: applying for the position and gaining employment); Immersing in Practice (sub-categories: discovering nursing practice, learning new ways, and belonging); and Aspiring to Professional Possibilities. "Actualizing the Dream" is the process of internationally-educated nurses becoming more fully themselves, in a personal and professional sense, as practicing registered nurses. The study has the potential to make contributions in four areas: nursing practice, education, administration, and research. One recommendation was to explore further the perception of Ontario nurses working with IENs to shed light on the organizational or systemic barriers faced by these immigrant nurses, as they immerse themselves into practice and gain a sense of belonging in the nursing subculture.
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