Choice, Attitudes, and Perceptions of Undergraduate Nursing Students towards the Nursing Profession

Abstract

Nursing students are the upcoming contributors to the nursing workforce and their attitudes towards the profession depict the quality of care they will offer to patients upon qualification. This study aimed to determine the reasons for choice, attitudes, and perceptions of undergraduate nursing students towards their profession. Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 165 nursing students from year one to year four registered in the two public universities in Uganda. The Attitude Scale for Nursing Profession was used to collect quantitative data. Focus Group Discussions were held to collect qualitative data about the reasons for choice and perceptions towards the nursing profession. Results: Students chose the nursing program because of its availability, poor academic performance in high school, desire to pursue a medical-related course, failure to get admitted for Medicine and Surgery, low cut-off points for the Nursing course, and interest in nursing. The majority of the students (81.8%) had positive attitudes towards the nursing profession. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean attitude scores of nursing students according to the year of study, entry scheme into the University, and source of funding for the program. Perceptions about the nursing profession were based on their personal experiences, experiences of colleagues, and observation of how nurses are treated at work. Conclusion: Although nursing students had positive attitudes towards the nursing profession, the majority of their perceptions about the profession were negative. Nursing training institutions should ensure that students receive pre-nurse counseling and introductory courses about the profession to enhance the acquisition of an accurate perception of the nursing profession.