Prelicensure Nursing Students’ COVID-19 Attitude Impact on Nursing Career Decision during Pandemic Threat in Taiwan: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic may cause a nursing shortage. Prelicensure nursing students who are exposed to high-stress COVID-19 events are related to defective career decision-making. This study validated the COVID-19 attitude scale and clarified how their attitudes about COVID-19 affected their behavioral intentions toward career decision-making. We conducted a cross-sectional study and recruited a convenience sample of 362 prelicensure nursing students from Northern and Central Taiwan. Two measurements were applied, including the Nursing Students Career Decision-making instrument and COVID-19 attitude scale. We used AMOS (version 22.0) to perform a confirmatory factor analysis. The Cronbach α of the COVID-19 attitude scale was 0.74 and consisted of four factors. The most positive attitude was the nursing belief factor, and the least positive factor was emotional burden. Prelicensure nursing students’ COVID-19 attitudes were significantly positively associated with their career decision-making attitudes and perceived control (ß = 0.41 and ß = 0.40, respectively; p < 0.001). All the key latent variables explained significantly 23% of the variance in the career decision-making behavioral intentions module. In conclusion, the COVID-19 attitude scale is valid. Although the prelicensure nursing students’ COVID-19 attitudes had no direct effect on career decision-making intentions, they had a direct effect on career decision-making attitudes and the perceived control.

Factors affecting psychological health and career choice among medical students in eastern and western region of China after COVID-19 pandemic

“…Particularly, a survey of medical students in Hubei Province demonstrates that grade level, attitude toward health care, and the level of the pandemic's impact on their lives significantly influence career intentions alterations (5) example, fear of COVID-19 and life satisfaction are reported to be positive/negative effects on occupational turnover intention among nursing students (22). A Taiwan's study clarifies that prelicensure nursing students' attitudes toward the pandemic exert a direct impact on their perceived control and decision-making attitude about their career (23). The aforementioned data emphasize that determining associated factors influencing future employment decisions is crucial for formulating guidance strategies applicable to modifying medical students' careers.…”

The impact of stress associated with caring for patients with COVID‐19 on career decisions, resilience, and perceived self‐efficacy in newly hired nurses in Jordan: A cross‐sectional study

“… 1 However, as exposure to COVID‐19 carried substantial morbidity and mortality rates among healthcare workers, some newly hired nurses were exposed to severely stressful situations. 2 , 3 Nurses caring for various levels of acuity among patients with COVID‐19 have been reported to experience depression and psychological trauma. 4 , 5 The continuous exposure to the significant risk of contracting the infection led to an increased magnitude of stress among nurses, especially those at the beginning of their careers.…”

“…The long‐standing shortage in the nursing workforce has been under pressure and many new, inexperienced nurses were forced to join fieldwork after receiving limited training 1 . However, as exposure to COVID‐19 carried substantial morbidity and mortality rates among healthcare workers, some newly hired nurses were exposed to severely stressful situations 2,3 . Nurses caring for various levels of acuity among patients with COVID‐19 have been reported to experience depression and psychological trauma 4,5 .…”