Student Expectations of Nursing Education
- Themes of presumed benefits of a career in nursing
- Job security
- Job satisfaction
- Occupational skills
- Working lifestyle
- Professional recognition, status and industrial issues
- Nursing a stepping stone to other things
- Intentions after completing course
- Under representation among nursing students
- Themes among specific categories or groups
- Female participants
- Male participants
- Recent school leavers
- Those with nursing or allied health care experience
- Mature age and those with other workforce experience
- Students studying on rural campuses
Themes of presumed benefits of a career in nursing
Nursing was seen by a large proportion of the students in the study to be an occupation in demand. Consequently, the students considered themselves to be acquiring skills and a professional qualification that would remain in demand, and there was a consensus among the group members that nursing offered a considerable degree of job security. Additionally, the students cited the current shortage of nurses as a factor that made nursing a career with very good employment prospects into the foreseeable future.
The desire to help people was a prime motivator for embarking on nursing education. A number of the students commented that money was not the primary motivation for their consideration of a nursing career, but rather that they were predominantly concerned with the intrinsic rewards available to those in the caring professions.
Nursing was seen to be the pivotal health care profession incorporating aspects of social work, physiotherapy, occupational therapy and other allied health care professions. The multi-dimensional aspects of nursing held considerable attraction, as diversity in the day to day workplace environment was seen as offering a range of intellectual and professional challenges.
In addition to the multi-dimensional aspects of nursing, many students noted the considerable range of specialist areas in nursing and imagined that this would provide additional variety in their work, 'not just another day at the office'.
Portability of qualifications was seen as an additional benefit, with students citing a range of possibilities and occupations outside traditional nursing models. For example, one student saw a potential for working with street kids once he had completed his nursing qualification.
The recognition of qualifications across Australia and overseas was an additional attraction, providing students with a range of opportunities to complement their technical knowledge and professional skills with study and/or employment in a diverse array of settings.
What do nurses do when they leave nursing?
- Teaching at university
- Drug company sales representatives
- Work in pharmacies
- Courier business
- Herbal products consultant
While the students interviewed predominantly expressed a commitment to seeking employment according to current models of nursing practice, many expressed a confidence in the value of having gained a nursing qualification, regardless of the paths their careers might take in the future. As one student remarked, "You never know where you will be, but nursing is a backstop".
A number of students raised the possibility that a person with nursing qualifications would be able to travel and still be assured of their income earning potential both in Australia and overseas. Indeed, they considered that there was a strong possibility that a prospective employer might provide employment incentives, such as paying airfares and relocation costs. It was noted by one group that while travel was clearly an option that was available to nurses, it would hardly be a reason to enter the profession.
Some students noted that, as an additional possibility in combining nursing with travel, that their nurse training would facilitate doing aid work.
Nurse education and training provides skills that can have personal as well as occupational uses. The examples provided to support this comment included first aid skills that could be used with sporting teams and recreational groups, diagnostic skills, anticipating childhood illnesses and personal care.
Nursing accommodates changes in working lifestyle. Several female students noted that the possibility of retaining employability following periods of absence from the workforce in order to have children was a particular attraction. Their perception of the durability of the qualification was enhanced by recognition that skills could be updated in a variety of ways, for example, by undertaking refresher courses or additional specialisations.
Professional recognition, status and industrial issues
There was awareness amongst the students of pay and conditions being inadequate when issues of responsibility and legal liability were taken into account. It was pointed out by Andy that there was not a shortage of nurses, there was actually an abundance, but that a large proportion of people with nurse training were not working in nursing. This, he surmised, was because of the poor pay and conditions.
There was a perception that, while they were in the process of gaining a tertiary qualification, little credit was given for nursing degrees in other academic and professional areas.
Nursing a stepping stone to other things
Nursing was frequently talked of as being a stepping stone, or a foundation for other occupational areas. Medicine and psychology were two that were mentioned in this context.
Students at on one campus considered that some of the teaching staff were, by placing an emphasis on research activities and assessment tasks, attempting to encourage students to look beyond nursing to a career in teaching or research. However, the majority of students were intent on careers involving nursing practice and considered the research emphasis an undesirable sidetrack.
Intentions after completing course
Many participants in the study didn't have an answer to questions concerning what they imagined they would be doing in 10 years time and most considered that they would, in fact, be nursing. The decision had been made to complete the nursing education and that was their main focus. Most intended to find work as a nurse and develop or perfect their nursing skills. Among the contributors to the focus group discussions, the areas of work considered desirable included paediatrics, neo-natal care, theatre nursing, and mid-wifery.
A few students envisaged themselves moving into nursing management positions, such as director of nursing, or nurse education, but most considered that they would need considerably more practical experience before they would be capable of securing such positions. There was a prevalent view that the nursing course provides enough hours to get the qualification that the real learning of how things are done comes about through practice.
As mentioned previously, many students were aware that there were an abundance of nurses not working in the field and that pay and conditions were not considered to be commensurate with responsibility and legal liability. They were also aware that staff shortages in nursing contributed to the work being harder.
Joe mentioned that he intended nursing to be a 'stepping stone' to working as a para-medic. Ironically, Steve (another participant in the same focus group) who was a qualified ambulance officer had decided to do nursing as means of getting out of working as a para-medic. Steve found driving ambulances to be a 'dead end' job and had become disillusioned, bored at not being able to practice the medical skills that he had. He saw nursing means of achieving greater job satisfaction and allowing him expanded options for choosing when, where and how he would work
How students conceptualise their futures in nursing depends to a large degree on the way that they identify that professional area. This in turn depends on the opportunities that they have had to experience facets of nursing and to understand these experiences.
Under representation among nursing students
A number of students thought that males were under represented in nursing education courses, and considered stereotypically gendered perceptions of the nursing profession as a contributing factor. It was thought that males were deterred from nursing because nursing was seen as a 'female' occupation, as well as a perceived categorisation of male nurses as homosexual. Laura cited an example of a male friend whom, while interested in medical and biological science was disinclined to study nursing and didn't want to be thought of as gay. Rick also noted that male nurses were stereotyped as being gay. Additionally it was thought that males were deterred from nursing because seen as a female occupation. Some males who were qualifying as nurses were doing so as a pathway to para-medics, another traditional male role, as Sandy pointed out.
Students in many of the focus group sessions were asked whether they considered certain groups or cultural groups were under-represented. Bill commented on the presence of International students in the course (though none were present in his focus group) but Indigenous people were not mentioned. According to information contributed anonymously, this study comprised:
0% people with a disability
3% people from non-English speaking backgrounds
4% Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islanders
6% Sole parents
6% people over 45 years old
6% people aged between 35 and 44
19% males
A more detailed comparison of the data is provided in the chart below.
These data represent certain characteristics of the students that participated in the focus groups and not nursing education students generally. However, it reveals broad consistencies with the findings of the (AIHW, 1999) research. That research found that the age of students enrolling in nursing education was increasing, and the number of males in nursing was also increasing. Though it should be noted that while males constituted 19% of the focus group participants men account for only 7.8% of the nursing work force (AIHW, 1999, p. 5).
Themes among specific categories or groups
Females comprised 81% of the participants in the study. As mentioned previously, young female students noted that a career in nursing would enable them to work, then have children, then return to work without difficulty. A long standing interest in health care, an interest in travel and working in an occupation that didn't confine them to a desk were frequently mentioned as motivations for women enrolling in nursing.
Female students who were married to defence personnel said they had undertaken the course because it would allow them to gain employment, and contribute to the family income, even if their husband's work required them to relocate.
Beverley noted that she had always been interested in nursing but had worked as an administrator in the Public Service, as a motel receptionist and in other clerical jobs. She had left school about the time that nursing education was shifting out of hospitals and into universities, and didn't think she was capable of going to university. However, when her husband, who is in the Airforce, was moved back to the country town in which her family lived, she applied for a position in the course. Having other family members locally meant that she now had an expanded range of supports. Beverley considered the portability of a nursing qualification a considerable benefit, because it could still be used if her husband was relocated. Her aspiration was to nurse somewhere she really enjoyed working rather than aim to advance into a management position.
Kim, married to an Army officer, had wanted to be a nurse when in high school, but lost interest in study after completing year12. The country campus was selected because it had no written entrance exam for mature age students.
Among younger females the aspirations were usually directed towards a career, whereas older females generally emphasised how nursing would mesh with their roles within a family.
Male participants comprised 19% of the participants in the study. Males were mostly concerned with gaining job satisfaction from nursing and a career that had good job availability. The participants who were a part of this group were predominantly older (80% were 22 years or older) and were people who had had other work experiences (87%). Michael's story represents both these elements.
Michael had worked as a mechanic and in hotels, but had become dissatisfied with both these lines of work. His wife is an officer in the police service and they own a home in the country town. He chose to study nursing because he believed it would give him a qualification that he could use for the next 20 years and that would be a much more personally rewarding occupation than those he had previously experienced.
The males in the focus groups had the distinction of being males studying to work in an area that has traditionally been populated by women. This drew attention to them whether they spoke or not.
Recent school leavers comprised 38% of the participants in the study and these people predominantly planned to nurse and develop some specialist skills and qualifications:
- Nina anticipated specialising in mid-wifery.
- In 10 years time Sandy imagined she would be either a Director of Nursing, an advanced nurse practitioner or to have specialised in some area of nursing.
- Bill desired to try aid work or missionary work, as did Nola.
- Jim wanted to work with street kids.
Some had also considered how a nursing qualification would combine with their lifestyle aspirations:
- Andrea anticipated marrying and thought nursing would be ideal, especially if her husband had a position that required him to travel.
- Alice wanted to travel overseas and work, but remain in nursing.
- Louise expected to be working as an RN in a rural location. She was currently studying on a rural campus, but doesn't want a managerial role.
After hearing Division 2 nurses discussing their apprehensions and concerns about doing clinical placements, Nina, a recent school leaver with a non-English speaking background, admitted that she hadn't done a placement yet and that she was quite fearful of what might happen. She has had no experience in a medical setting and felt that she had been insufficiently prepared by the course for her coming two weeks.
Those with nursing or allied health care experience
Enrolled nurses and people who had worked in allied health care occupations (ie para-medic) comprised 35% of the participants in the study.
The students with experience in nursing generally had clear career plans:
- Steve planned to travel using nursing as a means of earning income.
- Joe considered going into management or politics after a period of time as a nurse.
- Elsie, a 21 year old SEN, intended to continue on as a nurse because it allowed her to combine working with having a family and allowed the possibility of travelling and returning to work too.
- Rae wanted to work in a hospital in mid-wifery and expected to do some further qualification in that area.
- Paula planned to work in a mid-wifery or neo-natal unit, preferably as the Director of Nursing.
Some had also considered how a nursing qualification would combine with their lifestyle aspirations:
- Steve intended to work part and travel. He had always wanted to nurse and had saved to allow himself to study full time and wished he had done this at a younger age.
- Paula and Elsie both planned to marry have children and continue working.
Students with nursing experience appreciated theoretical information presented in the course and that the theory provided explanations for things that they had observed in the workplace. However, concerns were raised that there were very limited opportunities to learn and practice basic skills. This concern, when raised by Steve, should be seen to carry some weight because as a mature aged student with experience working as a para-medic he was more aware than most participants in the study of the skills need by nurses.
Students with these experiences felt that they had benefited by have already learnt some simple procedures like bed making, allowing more time to focus on more complicated things. The experience also gave more them the ability to determine priorities for learning during the third year.
Mature age and those with other workforce experience
Students participating in the focus groups were asked to specify which of four age groups they belonged, 53% of participants in the focus groups were aged 22 years or older.
The majority of the participant groups comprised of students who identified as having engaged in previous work. Only 38% of the participants in the focus groups had come to the course straight from school or other education, without having worked. A majority of 62% had been involved in nursing, allied health occupations or other areas of endeavour. These other areas were diverse and included food service, retail sales, wholesale meat work, motor mechanic,
Students studying on rural campuses
Students studying on a rural campus comprised 46% of the participants in the study.
This group cited frustration with perceived limited opportunities to gain experience in specialist areas of nursing, due to a range of factors directly related to their geographically isolated location in comparison to other nursing faculties. Students commented that they had travel long distances to do their clinical practicums and that some had difficulties meeting the associated costs. The rural hospitals that they did their practicums in could often provide only a limited number of experiences. However, rural campuses reflected the strongest sense of institutional identity. Most students reflected a sense of pride in being at university and recognised a link that the institution had with the town.
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last updated on Tuesday, 04 December 2001
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