A cross-sectional study on preferred employment settings of final-year nursing students in Israel

Yael Sela,Keren Grinberg,Yair Shapiro,Rachel Nissanholtz-Gannot

doi:10.1186/s12960-020-00496-6

Yael Sela, Keren Grinberg + Show 2 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1186/s12960-020-00496-6

Copy DOI

Abstract

BackgroundDespite the growing demand for community nurses, their number remains relatively low. We examined perceptions of final-year nursing students regarding their preferred work setting after graduation and the factors affecting their choice.MethodsA cross-sectional survey using a structured questionnaire was developed specifically for this study. The questionnaire was distributed among fourth-year students from all nursing training frameworks across Israel.ResultsOf 281 respondents (76.6% women, average age, 29.3 years), most (80.9%) preferred working in hospitals, while 5% preferred community settings; 14% were undecided. Students’ knowledge on hospital nurses’ tasks was greater compared to their knowledge on community nurses’ tasks. Moreover, hospital nurses’ tasks were perceived as more important than those of community nurses. The contribution of clinical placement in hospital nursing was perceived as significantly more meaningful than the contribution of clinical placement in community nursing. The vast majority of students (94.3%) stated that they would prefer to undergo a hospital nursing internship. A significant correlation was noted between students’ clinical placement, the exposure to community nursing roles, and the perception of the community nurse’s role: clinical placements that were perceived as a positive experience led to a more positive perception of community nurses’ roles.ConclusionsNursing students’ perception of community nursing is based upon limited information which does not reflect community nurses’ actual role and work.

Highlights

Despite the growing demand for community nurses, their number remains relatively low
Among the nurses who work in the community, most are employed in primary care clinics belonging to the four health plans that provide public health care to all Israeli citizens through the National Health Insurance Law [15]
We evaluated the perceptions and attitudes of final-year nursing students concerning their preferred work setting after graduation, and the factors that contribute to their choices

Summary

Introduction

Despite the growing demand for community nurses, their number remains relatively low. Recent decades have seen a growing need for provision of healthcare services within the community due to the growth in aging populations, increased rate of chronic diseases and co-morbidities, reduced length of hospital stays, and the shift of care from hospitals to community and home care [1, 2]. These changes require more nurses for work in community settings, a significant. Community nurses are increasingly involved in interprofessional education of primary care teams, are being appointed to general management positions (e.g., regional and program directors), and are given lead roles in hospital-community transitions and health promotion [1]

Objectives

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion