Choosing a career: why not nursing for more high school seniors?

Using a descriptive design, 641 college-bound high school seniors (CBHSS) in the Washington, DC, metropolitan area were surveyed to determine why nursing is not selected more frequently as a career. The findings indicated that the decision to choose or not choose nursing was significantly influenced by demographic characteristics (age, ethnicity, and race), past experiences with nurses/illness, and characteristics preferred in a future career. Those respondents who selected nursing cited wanting to help people, to do important work, and to work with a variety of people as important reasons for their choice. Those not choosing nursing indicated dislike of dying people and the salary as the main reasons for choosing another career.