Australia's most pressing social problem: nursing vs non-nursing students' views

Nursing and non-nursing students (N = 297) were surveyed in 1989 for their opinion of 'Australia's most pressing social problem'. Significant differences were found between the two groups. Although race relations in Australia headed the concerns of both groups of students, nursing students consistently chose health-related issues as their choices for 'the most pressing social problem' facing the Australian nation. Several explanations for this 'focused' interest of nursing students are discussed in the paper, in the context of the possible different socialisation of students before entering tertiary study and the need for sociology education for nursing students.