Perceptions of Community Nursing: A Comparative View Between Students and Professionals Through a Mixed-Methods Study

Community nursing is crucial for health equity yet often underexposed in training. Perceptions were compared between first-year students and practicing community nurses to inform workforce strategies.

To compare the perceptions of nursing students and practicing professionals, moving beyond vocational preference to explore the meanings that shape professional identity in the community setting.

Through non-probabilistic intentional sampling, 67 participants were included (48 first-year students and 19 practicing professionals). Data collection occurred in October 2024 for Phase I, while implementation dates for Phase II were November to December 2024. Data collection methods comprised a self-administered questionnaire (SCOPE scale) for Phase I, and Photovoice (photography and guided discussions) for Phase II. Data analysis techniques involved descriptive and inferential statistics for quantitative data, and an iterative participatory thematic analysis for qualitative data. Integration used joint displays and a rigorous "follow-the-thread" technique to trace meta-inferences.

Professionals scored significantly higher than students across all SCOPE domains (p < .001) and asset-mapping knowledge (84.2% vs. 27.1%). While 89.6% of students preferred hospitals, integration revealed a structural convergence: this statistical preference aligns with the qualitative theme of "The invisible nurse," suggesting vocational choices are constrained by a lack of role models. Conversely, a divergence emerged between students' high theoretical valuation of public health and their low affective scoring, revealing a "vocational dissonance" that contrasts with the professionals' consolidated identity.

A marked perception gap separates students from community nurses. Theoretically, the study illustrates how professional identity is shaped by role visibility. At a policy level, findings suggest that ensuring workforce sustainability requires not only curricular reform but also institutional strategies that elevate the symbolic status of primary care to attract talent.