Choosing a career: why not nursing for more high school seniors?
Using a descriptive design, 641 college-bound high school seniors (CBHSS) in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area were surveyed to determine why nursing is not selected more frequently as a career. The findings indicated that the decision to choose or not choose nursing was significantly influenced by demographic characteristics (age, ethnicity, and race), past experiences with nurses/illness, and characteristics preferred in a future career. Those respondents who selected nursing cited wanting to help people, to do important work, and to work with a variety of people as important reasons for their choice. Those not choosing nursing indicated dislike of dying people and the salary as the main reasons for choosing another career.
Catholic University School of Nursing, Washington, DC.
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Stevens
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Walker
D000293:Adolescent; D002321:Career Choice; D004219:District of Columbia; D005006:Ethnicity; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009729:Nursing; D015402:Nursing Education Research; D012494:Sampling Studies; D014830:Vocational Guidance