title: Effects of Discipline-based Career Course on Nursing Students' Career Search Self-efficacy, Career Preparation Behavior, and Perceptions of Career Barriers.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of this study was to investigate the effectiveness of a discipline-based career course on perceptions of career barriers, career search self-efficacy, and career preparation behavior of nursing students. Differences in career search self-efficacy and career preparation behavior by the students' levels of career barriers were also examined.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a modified one-group, pretest-posttest design. The convenience sample consisted of 154 undergraduate nursing students in a university. The discipline-based career course consisted of eight sessions, and was implemented for 2 hours per session over 8 weeks. The data were collected from May to June in 2012 and 2013 using the following instruments: the Korean Career Indecision Inventory, the Career Search Efficacy Scale, and the Career Preparation Behavior Scale. Descriptive statistics, paired t test, and analysis of covariance were used to analyze the data.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Upon the completion of the discipline-based career course, students' perceptions of career barriers decreased and career search self-efficacy and career preparation behavior increased. Career search self-efficacy and career preparation behavior increased in students with both low and high levels of career barriers. The difference between the low and high groups was significant for career search self-efficacy but not for career preparation behavior.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The discipline-based career course was effective in decreasing perceptions of career barriers and increasing career search self-efficacy and career preparation behavior among nursing students.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing, Eulji University, Daejeon, South Korea. Electronic address: sjpark@eulji.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Soonjoo
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Park
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002321:Career Choice; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D056910:Republic of Korea; D020377:Self Efficacy; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: behavior; nursing students; self-efficacy; vocational guidance