Nursing: a stepping stone to future careers.
OBJECTIVE
To identify the range of positions to which registered nurses moved when they left the profession and to explore the perceptions of respondents about the skills and experiences gained from performing nursing work.


BACKGROUND
Many nurses do not remain employed in nursing positions for the duration of their working life. This pattern of career change has been seen in many countries, including Australia, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada.


METHODS
A mailed questionnaire was completed by respondents who had left nursing. This questionnaire covered demographic information, the industry and role in which respondents were currently working, ease of adjustment to the current industry and role, perceptions of the skills they had gained from nursing, reasons for becoming a nurse, and reasons they left nursing.


RESULTS
Many respondents moved to management positions outside the health industry, and most undertook additional study after leaving nursing. In addition, few identified difficulties in adapting to non-nursing employment, and most agreed that their nursing skills and experiences had assisted them in attaining these positions.


CONCLUSIONS
The findings are reassuring that employment as a nurse provides invaluable skills for a range of employment prospects should an individual wish to change careers.
Duffield
Christine
C
Centre for Health Services Management, Faculty of Nursing, Midwifery and Health, University of Technology-Sydney, PO Box 222, Lindfield, Sydney, Australia. christine.duffield@uts.edu.au
Aitken
Leanne
L
O'Brien-Pallas
Linda
L
Wise
Wendy J
WJ
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001315:Australia; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology; D002321:Career Choice; D002322:Career Mobility; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards; D003657:Decision Making; D004651:Employment / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005260:Female; D005544:Forecasting; D006801:Humans; D007588:Job Satisfaction; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D024802:Nurse's Role; D015401:Nursing Administration Research; D009740:Nursing Staff / Q000193:education / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology; D010563:Personnel Turnover / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D020377:Self Efficacy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires