Abstract

Ndidi C. Egbeh, C.C.N. Vincent, Nkiru Okoroafor, Emmanuel Ifeanyi Obeagu*, Adanma Nwagwu Solomon, Anthonia Emesowum, Josephine Egbuchelem and Clementina Ezenwuba

ABSTRACT

This study examined factors influencing nursing students’ choice of nursing career and institution in Imo State. The researcher adopted a descriptive design for the study. The population of the study comprised 2484 student nurses and a sample size of 380 was selected which was determined using Taro Yamane formula. Socioeconomic factors influencing their choice of nursing institution and nursing career include income of parents, educational attainment of parents, cost of education, cost of living in the area where institution of learning is situated, social class and associated opportunities/limitations etc (mean= 3.09); economic conditions, industry trends, job availability, school location, job market demand etc are environmental factors that influence their choices of nursing career (mean=3.14) and demographic variables of gender, age, occupation of parents, education of parents and income of family significantly relate to/predict the individual factors (p<.05), socioeconomic factors (p<.05) influencing student nurses’ choice of nursing career and nursing institutions. The researcher recommends among others that individual preferences of students be considered when designing aptitude tests for aspiring nursing students.