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.
Stevens
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Catholic University School of Nursing, Washington, DC.
Walker
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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