What motivates students to enter nursing? Findings from a cross-sectional study

Leona Cilar; Marija Spevan; Klavdija Čuček Trifkovič; Gregor Štiglic

doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104463

What motivates students to enter nursing? Findings from a cross-sectional study

Nurse Educ Today. 2020 May 1:90:104463. doi: 10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104463. Online ahead of print.

Authors

Leona Cilar¹, Marija Spevan², Klavdija Čuček Trifkovič³, Gregor Štiglic⁴

Affiliations

¹ University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Žitna ulica 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. Electronic address: leona.cilar1@um.si.
² University of Rijeka, Faculty of Health Studies, Ulica Viktora cara Emina 5, 51000 Rijeka, Croatia. Electronic address: marija.sp88@gmail.com.
³ University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Žitna ulica 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. Electronic address: klavdija.cucek@um.si.
⁴ University of Maribor, Faculty of Health Sciences, Žitna ulica 15, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia; University of Maribor, Faculty of Electrical Engineering and Computer Science, Koroška cesta 46, 2000 Maribor, Slovenia. Electronic address: gregor.stiglic@um.si.

PMID: 32408243
DOI: 10.1016/j.nedt.2020.104463

Abstract

Introduction: It is expected that future nurses have high levels of emotional intelligence and empathy, because of their everyday interaction with people in a clinical environment. Thus, nursing students must show interest in nursing studies and in work with people. Moreover, it is desired that they have good communication skills. On the other hand, students who choose nursing as their future career may have high expectations from nursing education. The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' reasons for pursuing nursing studies.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted among undergraduate nursing students in Slovenia and Croatia.

Results: A total of 314 students participated in the study. General satisfaction with their studies is higher among those students who are satisfied with their chosen study programme. The most important reasons to enter nursing studies were interest in the subject and good employment possibilities. As the biggest disadvantage of studying nursing, Slovenian students listed crowded schedules, while Croatian students mentioned faculty organization. Students from both countries agreed that the biggest advantage is the ease of finding a job after graduation.

Discussion: As there is a lack of workforce in the healthcare sector, particularly a lack of nurses, universities must adjust their demands and improve study conditions to gain students' attention. Therefore, it is important to notice that nursing students perceive more advantages of studying nursing than disadvantages.

Conclusion: There are many different reasons to enter nursing studies. Students perceive many advantages in studying nursing, such as ease of employment, getting many hours of clinical practice and the possibility for promotion. On the other hand, there are some challenges in studying nursing, such as the schedule and organization of lectures, seminars and clinical placement. There is a need for further research in the field of nursing student's motivation, especially due to their decreasing motivation during the studies.

Keywords: Motivation; Motivational factors; Nursing; Study; Well-being.