Profiling Australian school students’ interest in a nursing career : insights for ensuring the future workforce

Objective Given that the current shortage of nurses threatens the quality of health care globally, we urgently need to find new ways to bolster recruitment. This paper aims to understand patterns and predictors of interest in a nursing career among school students in order to inform ways of ensuring a viable future workforce. Design A four-year longitudinal mixed methods study undertaken in New South Wales, Australia. Setting and subjects Survey data collected annually (2012-2015), involving 6,492 students in Years 3-12 in government schools, were analysed using logistic regression. Focus group data (2013-2015) involving 553 students and open-ended survey responses were analysed to investigate reasons for interest in nursing. Results Significant predictors of interest in nursing included being female and having a parent in a nursing occupation. A ‘helping orientation’ and prior experiences with nurses or nursing were key factors underpinning students’ interest in this career. Some students perceived nursing as a ‘safe’ career choice, balancing practical concerns, such as job security, with their desire to care. Other students expressed ambivalence, with nursing but one of many ‘caring’ careers to which they were drawn. Conclusion Given that early experiences with nursing or nursing-related activities influenced the desire to pursue this career, developing new experiential strategies that engage school student interest are important for ensuring the growth and stability of the Australian nursing workforce.