title: Predicting factors of positive orientation and attitudes towards nursing: A quantitative cross-sectional study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Previous studies have identified various reasons for students to choose a career in nursing. Students at the start of their programme hold a great variety of images and perceptions of nursing which can affect their orientation and attitudes towards their future profession.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  This paper aims to examine nursing students' orientation and attitudes towards nursing at the beginning of their educational programme, and to explore predictors of positive orientation and attitudes.
  
  
  METHODS
  The study used a quantitative cross-sectional design.
  
  
  METHODS
  A survey was conducted among first-year nursing students at four nursing universities of applied sciences in the Netherlands.
  
  
  METHODS
  Questionnaires were administered to all students enrolled in a bachelor of nursing programme (n=1414) at these universities.
  
  
  METHODS
  Respondents completed a survey consisting of: 1) Nursing Orientation Tool, 2) Nursing Attitude Questionnaire, and 3) demographic data such as gender, living status, nursing experience, preliminary training, first-choice programme, and career choice. Kruskal Wallis tests, with post hoc Mann Whitney U tests, were used to compare group scores. Multiple regression was performed to investigate predictors of positive orientation and attitudes towards nursing.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Students in this study sample (n=1244) strongly agreed with statements related to caring, nursing expertise, professional nursing knowledge and the application of this knowledge. Predictors of positive orientation and attitudes towards nursing include having nursing/caring experience, indicating nursing as the first choice for study, preliminary vocational training, and a desire to make a career in nursing.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Data from this survey suggest a link between personal and environmental characteristics and motivations to select nursing as a career. Understanding which factors predict positive orientation and attitudes towards nursing could offer educators a tool in the recruitment and selection assessment of new students.
authors.affiliation: UMCG School of Nursing and Health, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: y.ten.hoeve@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Yvonne
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Ten Hoeve
authors.affiliation: Lentis Research, Lentis Psychiatric Institute, P.O. Box 86, 9700 AB Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: s.castelein@lentis.nl.
authors.forename: Stynke
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Castelein
authors.affiliation: Department of Social and Organizational Psychology, Utrecht University, Heidelberglaan 1, 3584 CS Utrecht, The Netherlands. Electronic address: w.s.jansen@uu.nl.
authors.forename: Wiebren
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: Hanze University of Applied Sciences, School of Nursing, Master of Advanced Nursing Practice, Eyssoniusplein 18, 9714 CE Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: gr.j.jansen@pl.hanze.nl.
authors.forename: Gerard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Jansen
authors.affiliation: UMCG School of Nursing and Health, University of Groningen, University Medical Center Groningen, P.O. Box 30.001, 9700 RB Groningen, The Netherlands. Electronic address: p.f.roodbol@umcg.nl.
authors.forename: Petrie
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Roodbol
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002321:Career Choice; D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D004645:Empathy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009042:Motivation; D009426:Netherlands; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
keywords: Attitude; Nursing students; Orientation; Recruitment; Survey