Abstract:

The study was carried out between March and August 2017.The purpose of the study was to determine factors associated with choice of nursing profession among first Year students at Consolata Nkubu School of Nursing, Meru County, Kenya. The study adopted a cross-sectional design. The target population consisted of October 2016 and April 2017 classes. The total population during the year was 263 students. Census as a sampling method was used owing to the small sample population which was only 77 respondents’. 71 Self-administered questionnaires were distributed to the respondents who met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and 4 class representatives (Key informant) were interviewed using a checklist. The study reviewed that Majority of the students who joined the training were positive about nursing. A few students did not like nursing and were forced to join the profession. The result showed many students have changed their priorities and have settled on nursing profession after the introduction to the nursing curriculum. Given a second chance most (90%) would still choose nursing as their career of choice. The researcher realized the need to sensitize the pupils and secondary school students on nursing profession through the media, career guidance and volunteer works to healthcare facilities. Generally the student nurses neither considered factors like well-paying career as the priority nor related to the occupation of the parents rather the desire to serve patients well was the greatest expectation after completing the course followed by advancing in the profession and desire to get a good job.

Keywords: Nursing, Profession, nurse, career, choice, associated Factors.

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