Kuwaiti high school students' perceptions of nursing as a profession: implications for nursing education and practice

The shortage of nurses in Kuwait is attributed to low production of indigenous nurses, resignation and emigration of foreign nurses, and expansion of health care facilities. This study explored Kuwaiti high school students' perceptions of nursing as a profession, their sources of information about nursing, and factors that affected their choice of nursing as a future career. Questionnaires from 289 students attending seven all-female high schools in Kuwait were analyzed. The results revealed that all of the participants were knowledgeable about the functional aspects of the nursing profession, and 35% of them received this information through contact with nurses during hospital visits. However, only 19% indicated they might consider nursing as a future career. The implications of the study for nursing education and practice, and strategies to attract and retain indigenous high school graduates into nursing programs in Kuwait are discussed.