Assessment of Students’ Attitudes Towards the Nursing Profession at Wolkite University, Ethiopia, 2021

Abstract

Background

Nurses are the backbone of healthcare services, and nurses at work should be held responsible for providing high-quality care. A common problem at all levels of healthcare institutions is the negative attitude of the nursing profession. There is limited research on the subject of students’ attitudes. The nursing profession and its evolution are influenced by social, cultural, and moral factors.

Objective

To identify the attitudes of nursing students towards the nursing profession at wolkite university, 2021.

Methods

An institution-based cross-sectional study was carried out between April 2 and May 30, 2021. The chosen nursing students were selected using a simple random sampling method. A pretest and a standardized self-administer questionnaire were used to get the data. Epi data 3.1 versions were used to enter the data, which was subsequently exported to SPSS version 23 for analysis. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were used to find the associated factors of attitude toward the nursing profession. Statistical significance was defined as a P-value < 0.05.

Results

A total of 364 participants completed the study questionnaires giving a response rate of 86.6%. Nearly half of 170 (46.7%) with a range of (41.0–52.2) the study participants showed a positive attitude towards the nursing profession. Age (AOR: 4.54; 95% CI: 1.33–15.45) than younger, living in urban (AOR:2.64;95% CI;1.29–5.40), monthly income of less than 1000 ETB (AOR:0.23; 95% CI:0.06–0.38) family reacted positively after they join nursing (AOR: 12.5; 95% CI;4.78–32.69), and interest in the nursing profession (AOR:7.28, 95% CI; 2.01–26.36) were significantly associated with a positive attitude toward nursing profession.

Conclusion and Recommendation

Overall, less than half of nursing students had a positive attitude toward the nursing profession. Age, Residence, Family monthly income, Students whose families reacted positively after they join the nursing Profession, and students who joined the nursing profession of their interest were significantly associated with the nursing profession. Thus stake holders in universities, health science colleges, the ministry of education, the ministry of health, and Ethiopian nursing associations have to give due attention to enrolling students who had their interest to join the nursing profession and portray a positive image of the nursing profession.

Keywords:

• nursing profession
• nursing students
• attitudes
• Ethiopia

Abbreviation

SNNP, South Nation Nationality, and People; SPSS Statistical Package for Social Science WU, Wolkite University WHO, World Health Organization.

Data Sharing Statement

The datasets used and analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on a reasonable request.

Ethics Approval and Consent to Participate

Ethical clearance was obtained from Wolkite University Ethical Review Board (ERB) and a permission letter was obtained from the nursing department. Following the permission, participants were briefed about the study purpose and the procedure of the data collection process. The responders gave their written informed consent. The study participants’ privacy and the confidentiality of the information were both respected.

Acknowledgment

Our deepest gratitude goes to Wolkite University for all permission for this research work and to the study participants who participated in this research. The authors also have a great appreciation for the data collectors and supervisors for their contribution to this paper.

Author Contributions

Each author significantly contributed to the work’s conception, study design, execution, data collection, analysis, and interpretation, as well as its drafting, editing, or critical review. All authors agreed to be held accountable for all parts of the work and gave it their final approval before it was published. The journal to which the manuscript would be submitted was also decided.

Disclosure

The authors declares that there is no conflicts of interest regarding the publication of this paper.

Additional information

Funding

The authors received no financial support for this study and the study was funded by the authors.