Nursing as a First-Choice Career: Key Influences and Student Profiles

Abstract

Understanding what influences students to choose nursing is important for strengthening the future workforce and addressing persistent nursing shortages. To identify key personal motivations, perceptions of the nursing profession, and social influences (family/peers) associated with students’ preference for nursing. A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 560 nursing students enrolled at Aleksandër Moisiu University of Durrës and the University of Medicine, Tirana. A structured questionnaire included socio-demographic variables and 34 Likert-scale items. Analyses included descriptive statistics and between-university comparisons; exploratory multivariable logistic regression examined factors associated with considering changing the study choice, and k-means clustering was used to identify student profiles based on motivation/perception domain scores. Most respondents were female (94.8%) and aged 18–20 years (71.4%).  Intrinsic motivation was high: 84.2% agreed/strongly agreed they had always wanted to become a nurse, and 74.3% reported nursing as their first choice for higher education.  Concerns were common, with 72.3% perceiving nursing as stressful/demanding and 67.4% perceiving it as low paid; 35.5% agreed that friends view nursing as a feminine profession.  Students in Durrës more frequently reported nursing as their first choice and higher satisfaction than students in Tirana (p<0.05). Students’ preference for nursing is largely driven by strong intrinsic motivation and positive educational/career perceptions; however, perceived stress, low pay, and gender stereotyping remain substantial concerns and may relate to instability of study choice.

Received: 9 January 2026 / Revised: 21 February 2026 / Accepted: 4 March 2026 / Published: 25 March 2026