How Does the COVID-19 Pandemic Affect Nursing Students’ Career Choices? A Quantitative Study

Abstract

Aims: The purpose of this study investigated how the COVID-19 pandemic affected nursing students’ career choices.
 Methods: The study population consisted of 306 students from the Faculty of Nursing (n=234) and the Faculty of Health Sciences (n=72). The sample consisted of 227 students. Data were collected online using a descriptive characteristics questionnaire and the Nursing Career Decision Scale. 
 Results: Students had a mean Nursing Career Decision Scale score of 100.08. Students with working mothers had higher Nursing Career Decision Scale scores than those with non-working mothers. Being a first-time university students had higher Nursing Career Decision Scale scores than those who had being university before. Those who did not plan to change their nursing department had higher Nursing Career Decision Scale scores than those who thought about changing their department (p