Choosing Nursing as a Career at a University in the Western Cape

Abstract

Background: To achieve universal health coverage, there is a need to strengthen nursing education to attract nursing students to the profession. Understanding the factors that influence choosing nursing as a career is key to recruitment and retention in nursing programs. Aims and objectives: The aim of the study was to investigate the reasons for choosing nursing as a career and the intrinsic and extrinsic factors which influenced this career choice in first year nursing students at a selected school of nursing at a university in the Western Cape. Methodology. A descriptive survey with a self-administered questionnaire was conducted with 279 first-year nursing students. The questionnaire had 42 items and was based on a literature review of factors influencing nursing choice. Data was collected after class time, captured and analysed in SPSSv28. Descriptive statistics were used to describe the reasons for choosing nursing as a career and the factors influencing this choice. Chi-square and Mann-Whitney U tests were conducted to test the hypothesis of the association between gender and prior exposure on choices. Results. The study found that altruism was the main reason that first year students chose nursing as a career. Males, however, rated job stability before altruism. Prior exposure also to nursing had a positive impact on choosing nursing as a career. Conclusion. Findings support the importance of recruiting new nursing students with core values of altruism and the desire to help others.