What Motivates People to Start a Graduate Entry Nursing Programme: An Interpretive Multi-Centred Case Study

Abstract

Introduction While graduate entry nursing programmes are well established in the United Kingdom and the United States of America (USA), they are relatively new to New Zealand and Australia. These programmes have been developed to meet the demands of the health workforce and provide graduates an alternative pathway to becoming a RN. Nursing is viewed as an attractive career option for this growing market of graduate entry students. Objective This study explored the motivations underpinning students choosing a graduate entry MNSc degree over a traditional undergraduate nursing programme. Methods A qualitative, longitudinal single case study design, informed by Yin was used. The first phase of the study is reported here. All students commencing a MNSc degree at the beginning of 2020 across four education providers (3 in New Zealand & 1 in Australia) were eligible to take part in the study. Ten students agreed to take part and undertake an interview. Braun and Clarke’s approach to thematic analysis was used to analyse the interview data. Results Three key themes of motivation were identified from the data: the attraction of nursing; the clarity nursing offers in terms of career progression; and the design of the intensive programme. Conclusions The motivations to choose a MNSc degree were deeply considered, multifaceted, and influenced by nursing role models. Students wanting to engage with a graduate entry MNSc programme did so through a reflective process of assessing their current career status and future career values. Participants in this study believed nursing would provide a secure and sustainable career path, potentially creating new horizons or possibilities beyond their previous work and life experiences. Having insight into what motivates individuals to enrol in such programmes may assist both education providers and the health sector with RN graduate recruitment and graduate entry programme enrolment.

The Sources of Research Self-Efficacy in Postgraduate Nursing Students: A Qualitative Study

“…However, there are differences between programs, and this finding should be taken with caution. The participants in the present study pursued their master’s degree with goals, and they had a high level of self-efficacy while being able to focus on the experience, which is in line with the previous study [ 20 , 21 ]. First-year postgraduate students also agree that it is beneficial to have clear expectations at the beginning [ 22 ].…”

Learning experiences of first year graduate entry nursing students: a longitudinal case study

“…The ndings from this study highlight that for participants enrolled in GEN programmes their experiences in clinical practice cemented that nursing was the correct career choice for them. Speci cally, participants enjoyed the realities of patient interaction during clinical placements, linking back to the altruistic motivations of these students as identi ed by Macdiarmid et al (2021). Simultaneously, while enjoying making a difference for others, participants were exposed to the immense diversity of what nursing care is beyond the immediacy of the hospital ward setting and, therefore, the potential career opportunities to be had, thus aligning with the ndings from Downey & Asselin (2015).…”

“…GEN programmes are well-established internationally and were introduced to New Zealand in 2014 (Macdiarmid et al, 2021), but have been available in the United States of America since the 1970s and Australia since the 1990s (Neill, 2011). There are currently ten institutes in Australia and seven in New Zealand offering GEN programmes leading to nursing registration.…”

“…The opportunity to complete an accelerated degree appeals to mature students who have already been successful in their undergraduate studies (Downey & Asselin, 2015), given the duality of gaining a higher degree alongside a professional quali cation within a short time frame (Downey & Asselin, 2015). Commonly, students present a wide range of reasons for enrolling in a GEN programme, often relating to lack of satisfaction in previous careers, feeling drawn to the caring aspects of the nursing role and seeking an altruistic career offering professional diversity (Downey & Asselin, 2015;Macdiarmid et al, 2021).…”

“…While proven academic achievement contributes to self-con dence that enhances ongoing study success, some students are surprised by the complexity and di culty of the nursing degree (Downey & Asselin, 2015), despite their altruistic motivations. Current literature highlights that this mature student cohort favour active learning approaches such as a ipped classroom model, inquiry-based learning (El-Banna et al, 2017), or problem-based learning whereby students explore clinical cases relevant to practice (Jarden., et al, 2021). As a means of consolidating current knowledge while simultaneously expanding the literature, this paper speci cally addresses the academic and clinical learning experiences of GEN students enrolled in the rst year of graduate entry nursing study.…”