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Nursing Students' Self-Graded Motivation to Complete their Programme of Study
Margareta Warrén Stomberg1, Kerstin Nilsson
1The Sahlgrenska Academy, University of Gothenburg, Sweden and University of Skövde, Sweden.
The Open Nursing Journal
|February 25, 2011
Summary
Most nursing students are motivated to complete their program, driven by the desire to become registered nurses (RNs). Improving teaching methods and study organization can boost motivation for struggling students.
Area of Science:
- Nursing Education
- Student Motivation
- Higher Education Studies
Background:
- Student motivation is crucial for program completion in nursing education.
- Understanding factors influencing motivation can inform targeted interventions.
- Previous research highlights the complexity of student engagement in demanding academic programs.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate variations in nursing students' motivation to complete their program.
- To identify factors associated with low versus high motivation levels.
- To gather student perspectives on strategies for enhancing motivation.
Main Methods:
- A cross-sectional study involving 872 nursing students over 3 years (April 2006-December 2007).
- Students self-rated motivation scores each semester using a 0-10 Likert scale.
- Descriptive statistics, statistical calculations, and content analysis of open-ended responses were employed.
Main Results:
- 73% of students reported motivation scores of 6 or higher; 16% reported scores of 4 or lower.
- High motivation was linked to the aspiration of becoming a registered nurse (RN) and positive study attitudes.
- Decreased motivation correlated with negative study attitudes, increasing semesters, and lower student age.
Conclusions:
- The desire to become an RN and positive academic attitudes are key motivators.
- Negative attitudes and declining motivation over time present challenges in nursing programs.
- Enhancing didactic approaches and study organization could improve motivation, particularly for at-risk students.
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