A survey of nursing students in Saskatchewan

Concern, Nov 1998 by Evans, Robin

By Robin Evans, RN SRNA Nursing Consultant

A shortage of nurses is predicted for the future, reaching a crisis in 2011 (Ryten, 1997). For many health care agencies in Saskatchewan, the future is now. Nurses are working numerous hours of overtime, sometimes without choice, unable to take vacation due to lack of replacement staff, and some full time permanent positions remain vacant due to lack of applications. Activities to attract people into the profession are important, as one strategy to address this shortage.

In February, 1995 and again in December, 1995- February, 1996, the Basic Nursing Education Program Heads Committee conducted a survey of students in basic nursing education programs throughout Saskatchewan. The purpose of the survey was to examine information from those students about their reasons for entering nursing and their nursing education program and recruitment activities that may have increased their interest in nursing(Smadu, 1996).

In September, 1996 students were admitted to the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan (NEPS) for the first time. At that time, it was the only basic nursing education program in Saskatchewan accepting first year students.

The survey was modified to reflect the changes to the basic nursing education program.

In addition to demographic data, students were asked to rank a number ol statements (unchanged from the previous surveys) that described their reasons for entering the nursing profession, reasons for entering their nursing education program, and recruitment activities that influenced these decisions. Space was left following each section to allow students the opportunity to indicate other reasons not appearing in the statements. The last section was an open ended question which allowed for suggestions for recruitment activities. The survey was administered to first year students in the NEPS program in November December, 1997.

Results

Response rates to the 1995 and 1995-1996 surveys had been 49% and 43% respectively. A total of one hundred and forty-four (144) surveys were returned this time for a response rate of 80%, a significant increase. Twenty six (18%) of the returned surveys could not be used for the statistical analysis. However, the suggestions for recruitment activities were included. Therefore, for the statistical analysis, n=118.

Respondents indicated that 69% attended the Saskatoon site and 31% attended the Regina site. These results approximate the percentage of seats available at each site. Saskatoon had 120 seats (67%) and Regina had 60 (33%). Eighty six percent ofthe respondents were female and 14% were male. This distribution was consistent with that found in the two previous surveys.

Forty eight percent of students indicated they were 17-19 years of age. The two previous surveys indicated that 15% and 11% of students fell into this category. Forty two percent reported they fell into the age group 2025 years of age. This again contrasted to 55% and 60% in the previous surveys. Another significant change occurred in the group aged 26 - 30 years. The previous surveys reported 11 % and 15% of students were in this age group. This survey indicated 4%. Students indicating that they were in the age group 31 and over decreased to 6% from 18% and 14%. This shift in the age of students differs sharply from the Canadian experience where the age of more than 16,000 graduates in 1966 was 25 years of age or less with slightly over 4,000 in that age group in 1996 (Ryten, 1997).

The opportunity to help people was seen as the most important reason for entering nursing with just under half of respondents choosing it as their #1 choice. The choices of nursing is exciting, offers good employment opportunities and a good salary, and provides opportunity to work with a variety of people also received high rankings. These reasons are consistent with the findings of the two previous surveys. The opportunity to help people displays a message consistent with the current trend toward the use of "caring" as an integral part of nursing education.

The most highly ranked reasons for entering the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan included the convenient location, the reputation of the program, the enhanced employment opportunities, and the length of the program. Given the implementation of the Nursing Education Program of Saskatchewan in September,1996, it is interesting to note the frequency that the reputation of the program was reported, since it could be assumed that this may require additional time to be established. Of additional interest is the frequency that enhanced employment opportunities was cited as a reason for entering the program. This was not cited frequently enough to be reported in the last survey and may indicate the perception of increased employability of nurses in the public eye. The fact that convenient location was again ranked highly by the students emphasizes the importance of continuing to address issues of access.

Recruitment strategies ranked most frequently as being effective included advice from family/friends, interaction with nurses in practice, interaction with sick people, interaction with students already enrolled in a nursing education program, brochure about the nursing education program, television program about nursing, and advice from a nurse.