Ethical recruitment is often discussed as a workforce strategy, but in this episode of Care Anywhere, it’s explored as something much more meaningful: a commitment to protecting, empowering, and investing in the nurses who make global healthcare possible.

Host Lea Sims sits down with Health Carousel’s Donita Ross, Associate Chief Nursing Officer and Vice President, and Erik Schuman, Chief Operating Officer, for a special DAISY Honoree Spotlight celebrating Donita’s recognition for her extraordinary leadership and advocacy on behalf of internationally educated nurses.

Drawing on more than three decades of nursing experience, Donita shares her passion for helping nurses achieve their professional goals while ensuring they are supported throughout every stage of their journey to the United States. Erik reflects on the qualities that make Donita’s approach so impactful, highlighting her ability to combine clinical expertise, compassion, and individualized support to help nurses successfully transition into new careers, communities, and healthcare systems.

The conversation explores the principles of ethical international recruitment, including transparency, compliance, and respect for every nurse’s right to pursue opportunity. Donita and Erik discuss how ethical recruitment extends beyond placement, requiring organizations to invest in workforce sustainability through education, mentorship, and support for nursing development in source countries. They also examine the critical role international nurses play in addressing workforce shortages while strengthening care delivery in underserved communities.

Lea, Donita, and Erik further discuss the importance of long-term career development, sharing how internationally educated nurses are advancing into specialty practice, leadership roles, and higher education opportunities after arriving in the United States. Their conversation highlights the value of viewing workforce mobility not as a transaction, but as a partnership that benefits nurses, healthcare organizations, and communities around the world.

Listeners will come away with a deeper understanding of what ethical recruitment looks like in practice, why workforce mobility must be grounded in integrity and investment, and how leaders like Donita Ross are helping shape a more sustainable future for the global nursing workforce.