Motivation as a Key Determinant of Academic Achievement of Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Motivation empowers one to acquire knowledge and skills necessary for providing compassionate care. It inspires future nurses to overcome challenges, embrace continuous learning, and ultimately become dedicated healthcare professionals.
 Design: A descriptive cross-sectional survey study was conducted at the Skills Labs of the College of Health and Sport Sciences, University of Bahrain. 
 Methods: A convenient sample of 126 nursing students reported their motivation towards their academic learning anonymously through electronic form. 
 Results: Results indicated acceptable levels of intrinsic and extrinsic goal orientation (3.38±1.65 and 3.93±1.58), task value (3.94±1.50), control of learning beliefs (3.91±1.20), self-efficacy for learning and performance (3.68±1.63), and test anxiety (3.22±1.41).
 Conclusion: Academics can improve students’ motivation, academic achievement, and self-efficacy by implementing effective teaching strategies, encouraging goal-setting and self-monitoring techniques, reflection, providing resources and support for self-directed learning fostering collaboration, cultivating a supportive learning environment and teamwork among nursing students, and providing constructive feedback.