RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES GEARED TOWARD MEN MAY NEED TO HIGHLIGHT POSITIVE JOB CHARACTERISTICS, AS WELL AS THE CARING SIDE OF NURSING
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One page review of this article – please cite sources when used.
Why students choose nursing: a decade ago, most nursing students said that they chose nursing because they wanted to care for people and help others. Are those desires still true today?
falseDitommaso, Enrico Author Information
; Rheaume, Ann Author Information
; Woodside, Reida Author Information
; Gautreau, Gerene. The Canadian Nurse 99.5
(May 2003): 25-29.
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The five most influential recruitment activities reported were interactions with ill people, interactions with nurses in practice, advice from family and friends, advice from student nurses and brochures about a nursing education program. The students were also moderately influenced by newspaper articles, advice from high school counsellors and advice from graduates of nursing programs. The recruitment activities that least influenced students to choose nursing were the shadow-a-nurse program, university open house events, advice from the professional nursing association, and information booths in a hospital or in the community. Students added that the Internet should be used more often to attract potential candidates to nursing. Anglophone students had been more influenced by activities of a personal nature, such as the advice of family, friends, student nurses and the professional nursing association, and interactions with faculty. Francophone students had been more influenced by larger events, such as university open houses and information booths in hospitals. Women were more influenced than men by interactions with ill people.
Although both women and men primarily entered nursing because of a desire to care for people, their other motivations differed. For instance, male students were more likely than women to identify the use of complex technology and the inability to get into other programs as important reasons for entering nursing. Similarly, male students’ choice of a particular nursing program was more often dictated by their belief that it would be a good career choice. Thus, male students seemed to be more pragmatic than female students, suggesting that they may be more career-oriented. Other studies support these findings.(23) Recruitment activities geared toward men may need to highlight positive job characteristics, as well as the caring side of nursing. Other potentially helpful strategies include the use of more male role models (e.g., male nurse recruiters), the use of the media to target boys and men and educating high school counsellors about the positive aspects of nursing for both men and women.(24)
(2) Evans, R. Report: Survey of nursing students in Saskatchewan regarding recruitment to nursing, Regina, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association, 1997; Hemsley-Brown, J. and Foskett. N.H. Career desirability: Young people’s perceptions of nursing as a career, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29(6), 1999, 1342-1350; Magnussen, L. Women’s choices: An historical perspective of nursing as a career choice, Journal of Professional Nursing, 14(3), 1998, 175-183; While, A. and Blackman, C. Reflections on nursing as a career choice, Journal of Nursing Management, 6(4), 1998, 231-237; Wilson, C.S. and Mitchell, B.S. Nursing 2000: Collaboration to promote careers in registered nursing, Nursing Outlook, 47(2), 1999, 56-61.
The five most influential recruitment activities reported were interactions with ill people, interactions with nurses in practice, advice from family and friends, advice from student nurses and brochures about a nursing education program. The students were also moderately influenced by newspaper articles, advice from high school counsellors and advice from graduates of nursing programs. The recruitment activities that least influenced students to choose nursing were the shadow-a-nurse program, university open house events, advice from the professional nursing association, and information booths in a hospital or in the community. Students added that the Internet should be used more often to attract potential candidates to nursing. Anglophone students had been more influenced by activities of a personal nature, such as the advice of family, friends, student nurses and the professional nursing association, and interactions with faculty. Francophone students had been more influenced by larger events, such as university open houses and information booths in hospitals. Women were more influenced than men by interactions with ill people.
Although both women and men primarily entered nursing because of a desire to care for people, their other motivations differed. For instance, male students were more likely than women to identify the use of complex technology and the inability to get into other programs as important reasons for entering nursing. Similarly, male students’ choice of a particular nursing program was more often dictated by their belief that it would be a good career choice. Thus, male students seemed to be more pragmatic than female students, suggesting that they may be more career-oriented. Other studies support these findings.(23) Recruitment activities geared toward men may need to highlight positive job characteristics, as well as the caring side of nursing. Other potentially helpful strategies include the use of more male role models (e.g., male nurse recruiters), the use of the media to target boys and men and educating high school counsellors about the positive aspects of nursing for both men and women.(24)
(2) Evans, R. Report: Survey of nursing students in Saskatchewan regarding recruitment to nursing, Regina, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association, 1997; Hemsley-Brown, J. and Foskett. N.H. Career desirability: Young people’s perceptions of nursing as a career, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29(6), 1999, 1342-1350; Magnussen, L. Women’s choices: An historical perspective of nursing as a career choice, Journal of Professional Nursing, 14(3), 1998, 175-183; While, A. and Blackman, C. Reflections on nursing as a career choice, Journal of Nursing Management, 6(4), 1998, 231-237; Wilson, C.S. and Mitchell, B.S. Nursing 2000: Collaboration to promote careers in registered nursing, Nursing Outlook, 47(2), 1999, 56-61.
The countrywide nursing shortage has led professional nursing organizations and nurse educators to examine ways of attracting more students to nursing programs. Recently, the Nurses Association of New Brunswick, the University of New Brunswick (UNB) and the Universite de Moncton (U de M) collaborated to examine why university students choose nursing as a career. It was hoped that the study would enable these organizations to explore a variety of recruitment strategies to attract more men and women to nursing.
LITERATURE REVIEW
Attracting sufficient qualified men and women to nursing is clearly a concern. Recruitment problems are said to be related to several issues, including fewer employment opportunities, increasing job dissatisfaction and an increase in the choice of careers available to women.(1) In an attempt to deal with recruitment issues, researchers have explored what attracts people to nursing and how best to recruit people to the profession.
The majority of studies indicate that the desires to care for people and to help others are the primary reasons why people choose nursing as a career.(2) The working environment also plays a role for many candidates, who cite flexible work hours and the opportunities to work in specialty areas, with complex technology and with a variety of people as potential benefits.(3) Job security also attracts many people to nursing.(4) For some students, nursing is a second choice after attempting to enter medicine or another field when it is neither available nor affordable.(5)
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Several studies indicate that the positive public image of nurses attracts many men and women to the profession;(6) conversely, one other study suggests that the negative image of nursing is a deterrent.(7) This discrepancy may be due to different study methodologies, cultural factors and the availability of local role models. The last is suggested by studies that have shown that contact of a personal nature with a nurse — such as nursing care provided to a hospitalized family member — has a positive influence on possible recruits.(8)
Once a person has decided to become a nurse, the search for the most suitable program begins. The choice of a specific nursing program is often dictated by a program’s quality and reputation.(9) Another influence may be a student’s desire to remain close to or to move away from family.(10)
Numerous studies have explored which recruitment methods are most successful in attracting potential candidates to nursing. Recruitment activities range from those that involve contact of a personal nature to more impersonal strategies, such as the publication of brochures. Generally, advice from family, friends or nurses has a positive influence on nurse candidates.(11) Similarly, interactions with faculty are reported as positive influences.(12) On the other hand, advice from a high school counsellor can be either positive or negative, depending largely on the attitudes and knowledge of counsellors.(13)
Oral presentations by nurses in a classroom setting and in the community are effective recruitment strategies.(14) The use of written material such as brochures or journal articles reinforces presentations.(15) Career fairs, information booths and open houses are also effective in promoting nursing careers.(16) Television programs that portray nurses in a positive light are another powerful recruitment tool.(17)
THE STUDY
The New Brunswick study sought to answer three questions: Why do first-year nursing students choose nursing as a career? Why do they choose a particular university program or site? What recruitment activities influence them to choose nursing?
UNB offers a baccalaureate nursing degree in English at its two main campuses — Fredericton and Saint John — and two satellite sites — Bathurst and Moncton. U de M offers the baccalaureate nursing degree in French at its three campuses — Moncton, Edmundston and Shippagan/Bathurst.
Ethics committees at both universities approved the study. The survey used was adapted from a questionnaire originally used by the Saskatchewan Registered Nurses Association.(18) The modified questionnaire consisted of three sections — the first related to reasons for entering nursing, the second to reasons for entering a particular nursing education program and the third to recruitment activities. Each section consisted of a statement followed by a five-item Likert scale, as well as an area for the participants to add their own views. Demographic data were collected at the end of the questionnaire.
Within a two-week period in October 2000, questionnaires were administered to all 376 first-year generic program nursing students who had begun in September. The questionnaires were administered by a secretary or a faculty member at the site who was not otherwise involved with first-year students. The purpose of the study and instructions related to the questionnaire were explained to the students before they completed the survey. A cover letter indicated that participation was voluntary, that the responses would remain anonymous and that participation would not affect student grades. The questionnaires were numbered to assure confidentiality. All questionnaires, complete and incomplete, were placed in envelopes and returned by courier to the Nurses Association of New Brunswick. Overall, 308 students answered the survey, for a response rate of 82 per cent.
Descriptive statistics were calculated from responses to all questions using either frequency distributions or means. Items in each section were rank ordered. T-tests were used to identify differences in gender (male and female) and culture (anglophone and francophone). Qualitative data were summarized and categorized.
RESULTS
Not surprisingly, 65 per cent of the respondents were between the ages of 17 and 19, and 24 per cent were between 20 and 25. Most were women (94%); only 19 (6%) were male. Fifty per cent of the students entered the nursing program directly from high school, 29 per cent after either starting or completing another program, and 14 per cent after being employed. Most students (95%) had been accepted into the nursing program the first time they applied.
Almost exactly half of the students were enrolled at each university, with 51 per cent (n=157) at U de M and 49 per cent (n=151) at UNB. Most were from New Brunswick; only a few came from Quebec or the other Atlantic provinces. Eighty-five per cent of the students were single, and 74 students (24%) reported having one or more dependent children.
| Table 1: Summary of statistically significant differences betweenUniversite de Moncton (francophone) and University of New Brunswick(anglophone) students in reasons for entering nursing, choosing a particularprogram and recruitment activities |
| Note: [Symbol Not Transcribed] = Potential range: 1 (no influence) to 4 (a great deal of influence) |
The students indicated that their primary reasons for entering nursing were the desire to care for people in need, the opportunity to help people, an interest in science or medicine, the opportunity to work with a variety of people and good employment opportunities. Many students had a positive image of nursing, which also influenced their decision to become nurses. The five least important reasons cited were the help received from a nurse at the death of a family member, to continue a family tradition, dissatisfaction with a previous career, the inability to get into another educational program and the belief that nursing education is easier than that for other professions. Many of the students reiterated similar responses in the qualitative data section.
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Anglophone (UNB) and francophone (U de M) students generally entered nursing for the same reasons — primarily to care for people — but there were significant differences between the two groups (see Table 1). The francophone students reported being more influenced by the nursing image, the desire to work with complex technology, and an interest in science and the medical field.
There were also statistically significant differences between male and female respondents (see Table 2). Men were more likely to choose nursing because they expected to work with complex technology or because they were unable to get into a program leading to another career. Women were more likely to choose nursing because of the opportunity to learn practical skills for future roles or because of the positive image of nurses.
The four most common reasons for entering a particular nursing program were enhanced employment opportunities, the convenience of the location, the program’s reputation and the language of the program. The three least cited reasons for choosing a program were an opportunity to experience campus life, using nursing as a stepping stone to another career and the lack of a waiting list. The qualitative data indicated three other reasons for choosing a program: previous experience with the same university, the desire to be where friends were and campus size (many students were attracted to smaller campuses rather than the larger ones).
There were several significant differences between anglophone and francophone students in reasons for choosing a particular program. Anglophone students were more likely to cite the convenience of the location and the program’s reputation. Francophone students were more likely to report enhanced employment opportunities and using nursing as a stepping stone to another career. Students from both universities generally agreed that experiencing campus life was not an important consideration. There were few gender differences in this section of responses, although, overall, men were more likely than women to choose a particular program as a stepping stone to another career.
The five most influential recruitment activities reported were interactions with ill people, interactions with nurses in practice, advice from family and friends, advice from student nurses and brochures about a nursing education program. The students were also moderately influenced by newspaper articles, advice from high school counsellors and advice from graduates of nursing programs. The recruitment activities that least influenced students to choose nursing were the shadow-a-nurse program, university open house events, advice from the professional nursing association, and information booths in a hospital or in the community. Students added that the Internet should be used more often to attract potential candidates to nursing. Anglophone students had been more influenced by activities of a personal nature, such as the advice of family, friends, student nurses and the professional nursing association, and interactions with faculty. Francophone students had been more influenced by larger events, such as university open houses and information booths in hospitals. Women were more influenced than men by interactions with ill people.
[Graph Not Transcribed]
DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSIONS
The survey results suggest that the main reason for entering nursing has not changed over the past decade. Men and women still enter nursing to care for people in need. This finding is consistent with the findings in other studies.(19) However, the survey also indicates that the work environment plays a significant role in determining career choice for students, highlighting the importance of improving the work environment to enhance nurse recruitment and retention. The recent deterioration of the nursing work environment, which has been detailed in both the popular media and research studies,(20) may well discourage possible new recruits.
Overall, the students in this study had a positive image of nursing. They believed that salaries are reasonably good, which contrasts with other studies suggesting that salaries are a deterrent to entering nursing.(21) This discrepancy may be related to the ongoing campaigns that the Nurses Association of New Brunswick and the New Brunswick Nurses’ Union have initiated to improve nurses’ image. Moreover, both local role models and recent television programs featuring nurses playing pivotal roles within the health care team may also influence students.
Anglophone and francophone students generally shared similar views, but there were some significant differences. Unfortunately, the limitations of the survey data make it impossible to identify why these differences exist.
As shown in prior studies,(22) employment opportunities, program location and program reputation largely dictate students’ choice of a particular nursing program. Being able to enrol in a program offered in their language of choice was also important in this study. Interestingly, nursing students generally agreed that experiencing campus life was not an important factor and, moreover, that a smaller campus was attractive. Thus, having sites in remote locations may attract candidates who want to stay close to family.
Although both women and men primarily entered nursing because of a desire to care for people, their other motivations differed. For instance, male students were more likely than women to identify the use of complex technology and the inability to get into other programs as important reasons for entering nursing. Similarly, male students’ choice of a particular nursing program was more often dictated by their belief that it would be a good career choice. Thus, male students seemed to be more pragmatic than female students, suggesting that they may be more career-oriented. Other studies support these findings.(23) Recruitment activities geared toward men may need to highlight positive job characteristics, as well as the caring side of nursing. Other potentially helpful strategies include the use of more male role models (e.g., male nurse recruiters), the use of the media to target boys and men and educating high school counsellors about the positive aspects of nursing for both men and women.(24)
As found in other studies,(25) interactive recruitment activities influenced the New Brunswick students. Recruitment activities of a more impersonal nature (e.g., information booths) appear to have had less impact. It seems logical that people who express a desire to help others are people-oriented and would be more influenced by personal recruitment strategies. Unlike other studies,(26) this study did not find that classroom presentations were useful in changing students’ perceptions of nursing. This discrepancy may be the result of the variable quality of classroom presentations.
[Graph Not Transcribed]
In summary, women and men still enter nursing because of their deep-rooted commitment to helping others, but several other factors play a part. Recruitment strategies should continue to draw on the caring side of nursing, but should supplement those efforts by highlighting the more practical benefits of the profession.
ONCE A PERSON HAS DECIDED TO BECOME A NURSE, THE SEARCH FOR THE MOST SUITABLE PROGRAM BEGINS. THE CHOICE OF A SPECIFIC NURSING PROGRAM IS OFTEN DICTATED BY A PROGRAM’S QUALITY AND REPUTATION. ANOTHER INFLUENCE MAY BE A STUDENT’S DESIRE TO REMAIN CLOSE TO OR TO MOVE AWAY FROM FAMILY
THE SURVEY RESULTS SUGGEST THAT THE MAIN REASON FOR ENTERING NURSING HAS NOT CHANGED OVER THE PAST DECADE. MEN AND WOMEN STILL ENTER NURSING TO CARE FOR PEOPLE IN NEED — CONSISTENT WITH FINDINGS IN OTHER STUDIES
RECRUITMENT ACTIVITIES GEARED TOWARD MEN MAY NEED TO HIGHLIGHT POSITIVE JOB CHARACTERISTICS, AS WELL AS THE CARING SIDE OF NURSING
(1) Canadian Nurses Association. Registered nurses human resources: Recruitment and retention issues — A discussion paper, Ottawa, Author, 1998.
(2) Evans, R. Report: Survey of nursing students in Saskatchewan regarding recruitment to nursing, Regina, Saskatchewan Registered Nurses’ Association, 1997; Hemsley-Brown, J. and Foskett. N.H. Career desirability: Young people’s perceptions of nursing as a career, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 29(6), 1999, 1342-1350; Magnussen, L. Women’s choices: An historical perspective of nursing as a career choice, Journal of Professional Nursing, 14(3), 1998, 175-183; While, A. and Blackman, C. Reflections on nursing as a career choice, Journal of Nursing Management, 6(4), 1998, 231-237; Wilson, C.S. and Mitchell, B.S. Nursing 2000: Collaboration to promote careers in registered nursing, Nursing Outlook, 47(2), 1999, 56-61.
(3) Kelly, N.R., Shoemaker, M. and Steele, T. The experience of being a male student nurse, Journal of Nursing Education, 35(4), 1996, 170-174; Magnussen 1998; While and Blackman 1998.
(4) Land, L.M. The student nurse selection experience: A qualitative study, Journal of Advanced Nursing, 20(6), 1994, 1030-1037; Stevens, K.A. and Walker, E.A. Choosing a career: Why not nursing for more high school seniors? Journal of Nursing Education, 32(1), 1993, 13-17.
(5) Beck, C. The experience of choosing nursing as a career, Journal of Nursing Education, 39(7), 2000, 320-322; Magnussen 1998.
(6) Beck 2000; Boughn, S. Why women and men choose nursing, Nursing and Health Care Perspectives, 22(1), 2001, 14-19; Stevens and Walker 1993; Wilson and Mitchell 1999.
(7) Boughn 2001.
(8) Beck 2000; Magnussen 1998; While and Blackman 1998; Williams, B., Wertenberger, D.H. and Gushuliak, T. Why students choose nursing, Journal of Nursing Education, 36(7), 1997, 346-348.
(9) Land 1994; Williams, Wertenberger and Gushuliak 1997.
(10) Land 1994.
(11) Kohler, P.A. and Edwards, T. High school students’ perceptions of nursing as a career choice, Journal of Nursing Education, 29(1), 1990, 26-30; Williams, Wertenberger and Gushuliak 1997; Wilson and Mitchell 1999.
(12) Williams, Wertenberger and Gushuliak 1997.
(13) Hendrickx, L. and Finke, L. High school guidance counselors’ attitudes toward nursing as a career, Journal of Nursing Education, 33(2), 1994, 87-88; Kelly, Shoemaker and Steele 1996; Wilson and Mitchell 1999.
(14) Wilson and Mitchell 1999.
(15) Kohler and Edwards 1990.
(16) Land 1994; Stevens and Walker 1993; Wilson and Mitchell 1999.
(17) Kelly, Shoemaker and Steele 1996; Kohler and Edwards 1990.
(18) Evans 1997.
(19) Evans 1997; Hemsley-Brown and Foskett 1999; While and Blackman 1998.
(20) Baumann, A., Giovannetti, P., O’Brien-Pallas, L. et al. Healthcare restructuring: The impact of job change, Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 14(1), 2001, 14-20; Spence Laschinger, H.K., Sabiston, J.A., Finegan, J. and Shamian, J. Voices from the trenches: Nurses’ experiences of hospital restructuring in Ontario, Canadian Journal of Nursing Leadership, 14(1), 2001, 6-13.
(21) Hemsley-Brown and Foskett 1999; Stevens and Walker 1993.
(22) Evans 1997; Land 1994; Williams, Wertenberger and Gushuliak 1997.
(23) Boughn 2001; Kelly, Shoemaker and Steele 1996.
(24) Meadus, R.J. Men in nursing: Barriers to recruitment, Nursing Forum, 35(3), 2000, 5-12; Villeneuve, M.J. Recruiting and retaining men in nursing: A review of the literature, Journal of Professional Nursing, 10(4), 1994, 217-228.
(25) Evans 1997; Kohler and Edwards 1990; Williams, Wertenberger and Gushuliak 1997.
(26) Wilson and Mitchell 1999.
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