Seeking knowledge, discovering learning: uncovering the impetus for baccalaureate nursing studies in Malaysian Borneo

Changes to the nursing profession over recent decades have provoked an increasing migration of nursing education into the tertiary sector. For nurses who live and work in developing nations, such as Malaysia, opportunities for further study might be limited, particularly for those located in more remote regions. This paper reports on a research study of registered nurses who undertook baccalaureate degree studies in off-campus mode in Malaysian Borneo. A grounded theory methodology was employed in this research, which is part of a larger study into the nature and outcomes of change experienced as a result of postregistration degree studies. This paper explores the reasons why nurses in this location enrolled in one such course and the extent to which completion of their studies addressed their motivational goals. The findings indicate that the experience of learning and acquisition of knowledge was well beyond what was expected, resulting in a sense of achievement that was similarly unanticipated.