Self-reported motivation for choosing nursing studies: a self-determination theory perspective

Abstract

Background The nursing shortage is of worldwide concern, with nursing student retention acknowledged as a priority. As a fundamental step towards exploring factors that can guide the implementation of strategic approaches to retain undergraduate nursing students and prevent their attrition, the aim of this study is to examine the motivation for choosing nursing studies of first-year nursing students within the theoretical framework of self-determination theory. Methods We conducted a study at the Medical School of the University of Palermo. A total of 133 first-year nursing students completed a two-part questionnaire: a measure of socio-demographic aspects and an open question about their motivation for choosing nursing studies. Students’ responses were analysed using thematic analysis. Dimensional analysis was performed in order to verify an organization along one dimension, in agreement with the differentiation of the autonomous and controlled types of motivation of self-determination theory. A person-centred approach was utilised to define motivational profiles able to characterize clusters of students according to both quality and quantity of motivation. Results A set of 18 categories was developed. The factor analysis has shown that nursing students’ motivations can be organized along one dimension, in alignment with the differentiation of the autonomous and controlled forms of motivation of self-determination theory. Through adoption of a person-centred approach, four motivational profiles were identified: a) students with good quality motivation profile (high autonomous and low controlled); b) students with poor quality motivation profile (low autonomous and high controlled); c) students with low quantity motivation profile (low autonomous and low controlled); d) students with low quantity and poor quality motivation profile (i.e. prevalence of controlled motivation). Conclusions Importance of this research includes the possibility to interpret nursing students’ reasons within the theoretical framework of self-determination theory, a well-grounded model able to offer useful information to academic nursing schools, in order to promote effective strategies to foster and support student motivation.

The relationship between empathy and altruistic motivations in nursing studies: a multi-method study

“…Such research has found that these choices are the result of a combination of internal and external motivational factors; sometimes, nursing is not students’ first options. Students choose to engage in the nursing profession based on their desire to help other people and engage in activities and perform work with social benefits [ 24 – 27 ]. External motivational factors, such as career opportunities and job security, are also important in students’ career choices [ 24 , 26 , 27 ].…”

“…Students choose to engage in the nursing profession based on their desire to help other people and engage in activities and perform work with social benefits [ 24 – 27 ]. External motivational factors, such as career opportunities and job security, are also important in students’ career choices [ 24 , 26 , 27 ]. Personal health-related experiences such as hospitalisation, the illness of a family member, or a volunteering experience, have been detected as additional motivations [ 25 , 27 ].…”

The relationship between empathy and altruistic motivations in nursing studies: A cross-sectional study

“…The external extreme of the motivational scale seems occupied by motivation related to the topic of study and search of job opportunities. A large proportion of students (74%) indicated altruistic motivations for choosing nursing studies, corresponding to the literature on this topic [39,40,41,42,43,44,45]. The analysis of gender differences shows that the internal motivations are more present in females' responses to the open question, as opposed to male responses, more oriented towards external motivations.…”

“…This choice is a result of a combination of internal and external motivational factors and, sometimes, it is not the rst option. Students choose the nursing profession based on their desire to help other people and engage in activities and perform a work with a social bene t [39,40,41,42,43,44,45].…”

Strategies to improve academic motivation among nursing students

“…As there is a nurse shortage worldwide, it is important that students chose to study nursing and are highly motivated during the study [3]. As defined by Rafii et al [4], the academic motivation of nursing students is "a broad and multidimensional concept that is affected by various personal, family, social, educational, and professional factors".…”