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Nursing Student's expectations for their future profession and

motivating factors– A longitudinal descriptive study from Sweden

Lindberg Maria, Carlsson Marianne, Engström Maria,

Kristofferzon Marja-Leena, Skytt Bernice

PII: S0260-6917(19)30792-0
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2019.104218
Reference: YNEDT 104218

To appear in: Nurse Education Today

Received date: 22 May 2019

Revised date: 8 August 2019
Accepted date: 14 September 2019

Please cite this article as: L. Maria, C. Marianne, E. Maria, et al., Nursing Student's
expectations for their future profession and motivating factors– A longitudinal descriptive
study from Sweden, Nurse Education Today(2019), https://doi.org/10.1016/
j.nedt.2019.104218

This is a PDF file of an article that has undergone enhancements after acceptance, such
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© 2019 Published by Elsevier.

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Title: NURSING STUDENT’S EXPECTATIONS FOR THEIR FUTURE PROFESSION AND MOTIVATING
FACTORS– A LONGITUDINAL DESCRIPTIVE STUDY FROM SWEDEN

Running title: Nursing students’ professional expectations

Word count: 5138 (abstract included)

Corresponding author: Lindberg Maria, PhD, RN, Centre for Research and Development, Uppsala
University / Region Gävleborg SE 801 88 Gävle, Sweden AND Department of Public Health and Caring
Sciences Uppsala University, Box 564 SE 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden tel: +4626 156559
maria.lindberg@regiongavleborg.se

Carlsson Marianne, Professor, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies Department of Caring
Sciences SE 801 76 Gävle, Sweden AND PhD, Professor, Department of Public Health and Caring

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Sciences Uppsala University, Box 564 SE 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden marianne.c.carlsson@hig.se

Engström Maria, PhD, RN, Professor, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies Department of

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Caring Sciences SE 801 76 Gävle, Sweden AND PhD, RN, Associate Professor, Department of Public
Health and Caring Sciences Uppsala University, Box 564 SE 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden AND PhD, RN,
Professor, Department of Nursing Sciences, Faculty of Medicine and Health, Lishui University, China
mem@hig.se
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Kristofferzon Marja-Leena, PhD, RN, Senior lecturer, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies
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Department of Caring Sciences SE 801 76 Gävle, Sweden AND PhD, RN, Associate Professor,
Department of Public Health and Caring Sciences Uppsala University, Box 564 SE 751 22 Uppsala,
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Sweden mko@hig.se

Skytt Bernice, PhD, RN, Senior lecturer, Faculty of Health and Occupational Studies Department of
Caring Sciences SE 801 76 Gävle, Sweden AND PhD, RN, Associate Professor, Department of Public
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Health and Caring Sciences Uppsala University, Box 564 SE 751 22 Uppsala, Sweden
bernice.skytt@hig.se
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Sources of funding: No financial or other relationships exists that might lead to a conflict of interest.
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Funding was obtained from Region Gävleborg and University of Gävle. The funding sources had no
involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing
process, or in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
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Abstract

Background: The shortage of registered nurses is a global concern. Motives to become registered
nurses can be to help others, altruism, personal development and career security. Motives in
combination with student expectations regarding the role are not explored.

Objective: To describe students’ motives to become registered nurses and their expectations
regarding their future profession.

Design: A longitudinal descriptive design with a qualitative approach was used to follow nursing
students in the beginning, during and at the end of their education.

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Participants and setting: A purposive sampling of a group with initially 75 students starting a three
year nursing program at a university in Sweden.

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Methods: A study specific questionnaire with open-ended questions was used in the beginning,
during and the end of the students’ education. At data collection two and three, a copy of the earlier
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answers was attached. Data were analyzed using manifest and latent content analysis.
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Results: An important profession with career opportunities, interesting duties and team work were
described. Students expected diversified duties, possibilities for development and work satisfaction.
Increased concerns regarding their upcoming work life was described at the end of the education.
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Conclusion: The students had a positive understanding of the profession and perceived their
forthcoming role as interesting. The leading role of coordinating patient care was more
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comprehensive than expected. Supportive conditions and well planned transition periods could
strengthen newly graduated nurses in their professional role and could be an important aspect in the
future retention of RNs.
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Keywords: Expectations, Longitudinal qualitative study, Nursing students, Professional role

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BACKGROUND

The prevailing situation with the shortage of registered nurses (RN) is a global concern that has led to
an increased interest to study students’ individual motives to become RNs. Several motives have
been identified, e.g. to help others, to make a difference, altruism, a specific personal interest,
personal development and career security (Duffield et al., 2004; Wu et al., 2015). However, the
aspect of motive in combination with the students’ expectations of their upcoming role has not yet
been explored in depth. Wilkes et al. (2014) described nursing students’ perceptions of the qualities
of an RN to be related to caring, knowledge/understanding, empathy, work, communication and
skills.
Undergraduate nursing education aims to support students in their acquisition of the specific
knowledge, skills and attitudes needed for the profession (Cronenwett et al., 2007). In this, both

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healthcare personnel (HCP) and academic staff are important role models for the development of the
nursing students own professionalism (Felstead, 2013; Keeling & Templeman, 2013), i.e., a

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professional identity that is considered a key factor in the RN’s ability to deliver good and safe
patient care (Cronenwett et al., 2007). It is well known that a theory-practice gap exists for newly
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graduated RNs regarding their knowledge of patient safety and practices (Murray et al., 2017), and
that strategies in the transition period need to be developed to help them grow into their
professional role (Murray et al., 2017; Kumaran & Carney, 2014). The development of professional
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identity has been identified as a factor that contributes to the newly graduated RN’s ability to handle
role stress. Nursing students with higher professional identity levels have shown lower role stress
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levels (Sun et al., 2016).

Exposure to health care plays an important role in informing individuals about the field of nursing
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(McKenna et al., 2017). Nursing students get experience from nursing practice and their upcoming
role through their clinical training, where the development of their professional identity is influenced
by the behaviors and attitudes of the HCP they meet (Felstead, 2013). So what happens to the
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nursing students’ initial motives to become RNs and their expectations regarding their upcoming role
after clinical training and their exposure to health care and the work life of RN’s? Can the students’
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expectations in some way be connected to the prevailing nursing shortage?

METHOD

Aim

To describe students’ motives to become registered nurses and their expectations regarding their
future profession.

Design
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A longitudinal descriptive design with a qualitative approach was used to follow nursing students in
the beginning, during and at the end of their education.

Sample

A purposive sampling of a group with 75 students starting a three year nursing program was asked if
we could follow them during their education. At the second data collection, 53 of the students still
attended the program. At the third, 47 students remained, but 17 did not participate in the data
collection (Table 1).

Table 1 about here

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Data collection

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The students were given a form with study specific open-ended questions in August 2011 at the
beginning of the program (five questions), again in May 2012 after the start of their clinical training
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(three questions), and in May 2014 at the end of the program (seven questions) (Box 1). The
questions in the form were based on the identified knowledge gap regarding students motivation
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and expectations to become a RN. When the class was scheduled for activities at the university, they
were given information about the study and received the questionnaire with a stamped addressed
envelope. The students could write their answers/thoughts at that time or later if they preferred.
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With the initial data collection we also collected data on age and any previous experience in health
care. With data collection two and three, a copy of the student’s earlier answers was attached to the
questionnaire. The students were asked to read and reflect upon their earlier answers before writing
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their current thoughts. Two questions regarding the students choise of their future workplace has
not been analysed.
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Box 1 about here

Data analysis

The written answers were transcribed into a text file and subjected to both manifest and latent
content analysis (Patton, 2015). To understand and become familiar with the comprehensive
material, the texts were read several times. The authors ML and BS preformed the analysis together.

Based on the aim of the study, one data collection at the time, the texts were analysed and the
meaning units were identified. The meaning units were thereafter abstracted and given codes that
were in the next step sorted into subcategories and categories. The entire material was taken into
consideration during the analysis process, as were the similarities and differences in the codes and
categories. An underlying meaning of the material, a theme, was identified during the analysis
process. The author, MC, read through the text and analysis process to ensure no area that
addressed the aim had been overlooked. The analysis process was discussed among all of the authors
until consensus was reached. All authors have extensive experience from qualitative analysis.
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Ethics

There were no risks to the students’ health, so according to Swedish law, 2003; 460, no approval by
an ethics review board was required. Permission to conduct the study was granted by the academic
department head of the nursing school. A Senior lecturer that was not involved in any of the courses
in the students’ program collected the return envelopes in the classroom. The students received
written and oral information about the study aim and they were informed that they could terminate
their voluntary participation at any time.

FINDINGS

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The findings are presented in the one theme, three categories and eight subcategories. The first and

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the second categories include the three perspectives ‘in the beginning’, ‘during’ and ‘at the end’ of
the nursing program. The third category represents the perspective ‘at the end’ of the nursing
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program (Table 2). Citations from the students written answers are provided togheter with the
students identification number and age at the first data collection, e.g. (S1, 19 years).
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Table 2 about here
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A conviction their profession will be important, will lead to development and be enriching, yet
concerned the demands in the workplace could be too great was the main theme. The content in the
subcategories portray the students’ expectations of an important profession with career
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opportunities, interesting duties and team work. Furthermore, the students expected to have
diversified duties that gave work satisfaction and good opportunities for professional and personal
development. The participants gradually developed an awareness regarding their upcoming
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profession. A more nuanced perception of the role that incorporated concerns over their coming
work life was described at the end of their education.
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Meaningful profession with career opportunities and the possibility to make a difference

Interest to help others and the characteristics of the profession

In the beginning they described a desire to work in a team and to work with people in need. To be of
importance to patients was central in the majority of the descriptions. Their reasons for choosing the
profession was influenced by previous experience in health care and inspiration from relatives
working as RNs. The students wanted to be RNs because they expected a meaningful profession they
could be proud of, that had a high level of responsibility, and was inspiring, diverse and rewarding.
“Meaningful and important work, so that I can have a sense of satisfaction with what I do.“ (S36, 24
years) Fascination with the human body, to acquire more knowledge about nursing care, to improve
health care and do research were also described as driving forces.

During the education the motivation to work with people and do something meaningful was still
important. From their clinical experience while training, they found the diversity in the role, the
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interaction with HCP, patients and their relatives to be rewarding. “As a RN, a person feels they have
done something really worthwhile and rewarding.” (S11, 21 years) The clinical training confirmed
that the profession they chose was correct, and they found that as RNs they could actually influence
nursing care.

At the end, their motivation was to provide good patient care, although they perceived it a challenge
to identify patient’s individual needs when leading the nursing care. To be part of and to make a
difference in everyday work was important, and it was considered as working for a good cause. “To
be able to make a difference and help people every day.” (S30, 19 years) Work duties with diversity
and working in areas of interest made the role exciting.

A profession with possibilities

In the beginning the students reported that professional and personal growth could be achieved

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through different and difficult care situations. For students that had worked as nursing assistants, the
education was considered a natural step to develop competence. To specialize in various areas or

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work as a manager was described as positive. Opportunities to work in different countries, in non-
profit organizations, in areas outside health care or pursue postgraduate studies were also
mentioned. “A profession with many possibilities; you can choose the country, sector, specialty, a
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first step in the career.” (S3, 21 years)
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During the education the possibilities for enrichment and further development remained, although
at that point recognized as opportunities for lifelong learning and continuous growth personally and
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professionally. The students maintained that the profession has many educational possibilities as
well as opportunities to work worldwide. “The profession allows the possibility for further education
and a broadening of one’s competence within their professional field.” (S4, 20 years)
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At the end the students envisioned a constant challenge in their coming role. They felt excited about
their upcoming role working with technology and acute care situations. Improvement of health care
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and working for a higher professional status was emphasized. The risk for unemployment was
considered minimal. “To develop and work with something you are passionate about.” (S3, 21 years)
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To contribute to good team work for good care in a challenging workday

Close cooperation within the team

In the beginning the students expected to meet different persons in different and difficult situations.
Predominantly positive meetings were expected, however, unpleasant situations could be
encountered. They anticipated close and constructive team work with open communication and
open-minded as well as respectful colleagues that helped each other deliver good care. “Be able to
cooperate and communicate in order to give the best care possible.” (S20, 21 years) The students
described what they perceived as a hierarchy among HCP as well as patients, with the RNs
somewhere in the middle, which could lead to tension. They hoped that a respectful and constructive
work climate would make them feel confident and appreciated, which would lead to free-flowing
cooperation, well-being in the work place and respectful contacts with the patients.
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During the education they experienced many positive encounters with patients, their relatives and
colleagues; but some were unpleasant. The students expressed their concern that HCP teams needed
to cooperate and have respectful communication that keeps the patients in focus. “Meet each other
with respect and dignity to achieve the best possible care results.” (S20, 21 years) The students
expected to be part of a work group with positive, enjoyable and agreeable colleagues.

At the end they were disappointed because some of the RNs did not assume personal responsibility
or work for the best of the patients and society. The hierarchy was not as distinct as expected; on the
contrary they experienced close cooperation between the different professions, although it varied
with different units. That the RN had such a vital and involved leading role in patient care, i.e.,
coordinating patient transfers between units and care levels and the work in the team was
unexpected. “I didn’t expect the RN would have such a leading role in the care…//…a nurse is much
more than I thought.” (S19, 20 years)

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Develop your own abilities to provide good care and achieve job satisfaction

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In the beginning they assumed that while giving good patient care, they would have a variety of
duties that would satisfy and inspire them as well as promote their development. A driving force for
them was to help patients together with other team members or individually. They described how
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they worked hard in their daily work and strived to be competent and professional in their contact
with both patients and colleagues, as that would result in a sense of satisfaction and meaning. “You
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learn new things every day as a RN, both about yourself and others.” (S59, 20 years)
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During the education, giving patients personal support was described as important as was having
social competence, being respectful and empathic. Meeting patients’ individual needs was
emphasized. Being professional with patients, their relatives, and colleagues gave work satisfaction.
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Moreover, the feeling of satisfaction was related to an important work role that included paper work,
rounds, and support to nursing assistants. The students described their contentment when they had
good knowledge of the patients, which helped them give good care. “I have continuity with my
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patients and know how things have progressed.” (S23, 25 years) Meeting persons with various
problems and facing positive and negative situations were considered to be educational and
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interesting. They wanted their work days to be busy with enough time for all patients since that
made them feel fulfilled professionally and personally.

At the end, they realized how their work as a RN could lead to the future development of patient
care. Being content with the work they performed was important for work satisfaction. Patient care
was described as more multifaceted and emotional than expected. Inpatient care was something
some of the students did not want to work with since time spent with direct patient care was so
limited. “I don’t want to work in a unit where the main task is to dispense medications and do
documentation.” (S30, 19 years) They were humble regarding the RN’s role and concluded that as
new graduates they could not be perfect. “My demands on myself have decreased and I have
become more humble, even though I thought it would have been the other way around.” (S13, 26
years)

Challenging pace and many different duties

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In the beginning they encountered varying and intense work days with many duties in, e.g.
administration and documentation, which demanded responsibility. Unpredictable work days with
varying intensities and duties were described as attractive and exciting. They expected their work
days to be hectic as well as physically and psychologically demanding, but there was concern the
days could be overly challenging and errors could result. Supportive colleagues were described to be
of importance during moderately stressful and emotional work days, and to enhance well-being and
satisfaction. “Educational, satisfying, but even sometimes rather demanding work both mentally and
physically.” (S51, 28 years)

During the education, they wanted unpredictable, exciting and satisfying work days. These were no
longer the hectic and stressful work days described in the beginning. Delegation and prioritization
was reported to be needed to handle the vast amount of duties. Interruptions in work were
perceived to make the work more stressful and fragmented. A described dilemma was not being able

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to give good patient care due to the lack of time and fear of exhaustion caused by unfavorable
conditions and stress. “I think I will come to like it, but at times I experience frustration over the

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unfavorable conditions, stress and situations that cannot be altered.” (S8, 20 years)

At the end, their perception of the RN’s responsibility was greater than expected and they feared it
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could be rather demanding. They perceived the RN’s workload to be much heavier than in the
beginning. As a new RN they described how their lack of work routines could make the workday very
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stressful. “Difficult with the time constraints and too many patients, you feel that some patients
receive a lower priority, and that doesn’t feel good.” (S7, 20 years) RNs had much more medication
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administration and administrative duties, and less direct patient care than expected. Working closely
with patients and using computers was described as something positive by some students. Some
described how administrative work could be accomplished more efficiently, and the time saved could
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be allocated to direct patient care. What was learned in nursing school was described to differ
greatly from what was actually practiced in health care.
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Concerns of not having enough support and of not managing

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Doing right in a demanding, high pace profession with many duties

Good patient contact and enough time to establish good care relationships was described as
important. They expressed a desire and ambition to satisfy patient needs by providing individualized
care and to continuously improve patient care. As future RNs, they expressed the importance of
being determined when opposing unreasonable demands from management. Important aspects
were good working conditions, a reasonable salary and a work environment that prevents work
related injuries. They perceived the handling of the stress encountered with severely ill patients and
a workload with too many patients that increased the risk for mistakes to be a major challenge.
Additionally, they found it difficult to keep work separate from their personal lives, i.e., not
processing work related issues when off duty. “Focus is often placed on the purely medicinal due to a
lack of time even though you want to work with care giving.” (S8, 20 years)

Difficulties being in a new professional role and work group

They expressed how working as a RN has its difficulties since they need to know about the different
healthcare entities and their context, they need to act ethically and professionally, and they need to
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be self-assured and trust their own knowledge; while remembering they are new in their role. They
perceived that RN’s should lead and coordinate patient care, be proactive and handle unforeseen
and difficult situations that can involve dissatisfied, demanding and disrespectful persons. They must
be able to handle many types of equipment, be skillful, knowledgeable and well informed. Team
work was perceived as something fundamental although challenging. The students were concerned
about the difficulties that can develop with the group dynamics while coordinating the team work,
especially as newly graduated RNs. “Colleagues who oppose rather than cooperate.” (S25, 26 years)

DISCUSSION

To work as an RN was perceived as meaningful and the profession was one to be proud of. In earlier
studies, nursing was described as meaningful and altruistic (Price et al., 2013). Professional pride
among recently graduated nurses is described as emanating from patient relationships and

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recognition and confirmation from colleagues for providing high-quality care (Sneltvedt & Bondas,
2016). The core reason for choosing the profession was expressed by the students as “to help others”

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by making a difference (Price et al., 2013; Wilkes et al., 2015; Wu et al., 2015). According to Wu et al.
(2015), another main reason was a personal interest in health care. Altruism and important duties
are major driving forces behind the desire to study to become a RN in the present study as well as in
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earlier research from different countries. The students envisioned the RN’s role would include a
diversity of duties as well as necessary and meaningful interactions with others. A conception of
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nursing described by students was that nursing “had it all”, i.e., it was rewarding, secure and diverse
(Price et al., 2013).
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The students perceived that their upcoming role would be characterized by challenges and lifelong
learning with many educational possibilities. Nursing can be considered a stepping stone to other
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careers (Wilkes et al., 2015). Not only is the risk for unemployment considered minimal, but the
profession provides opportunities to work in various clinical specialties worldwide. As an RN, job
security is assured (Price et al., 2013; Wilkes et al., 2015; Wu et al., 2015) since the profession
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includes several careers in one, has different sectors to work in, and offers the opportunity to travel
(Duffield et al., 2004; Price et al., 2013).
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To provide good patient care was described as a motivator and at the same time a challenge when
the care the patient desires does not agree with what the HCP identify as appropriate. Newly
graduated nurses identified the leadership of the team as a key in providing good patient care, and
they strived to take full control using leadership that encompass the ability to guide, support, and
appraise the situation (Ekström & Idvall, 2015). In doing so, the knowledge and skills needed to
provide good patient care are as complex as the nursing students anticipated in the present study
since it includes both clinical and leadership skills.

During the education, the students expected to be exposed to many different and sometimes
challenging experiences as well as constructive team work. Communication has been highlighted as
being important in providing quality patient care, as it is one way to build trust. Good communication
skills are important when participating professionally in a multidisciplinary team (Wilkes et al., 2014).
In the present study, a prerequisite for feeling confident and appreciated was a constructive and
collegial work climate. At the end of the education, the students related that the RN’s role was not
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what they originally expected it would be. Foremost, it was their leading role in coordinating patient
care that was more comprehensive than expected. In Wilkes et al. (2014) the nursing students at the
end of their education also perceived a need for better skills in management, leadership, and
organization than they anticipated in the beginning. This was also one of the competencies that
graduating nursing students rate as the lowest (Gardulf et al., 2016). Newly graduated nurses in
Ekström and Idvall (2015) also emphasized the challenges and importance of nursing leadership.
Owing to the complexities in their coming role, the students feared difficulties in their day-to-day
work such as leading and coordinating nursing care and taking the leading role in teamwork.
Inexperience and not trusting their own judgement caused newly graduated nurses difficulties. The
importance of an empowering work situation was emphasized since they lack authority in the work
group (Sneltvedt & Bondas, 2016). Démeh and Rosengren (2015) reported that clinical leadership
was found to be an important skill in order to fully grasp the RN’s role. It is understood that
proficient nursing leadership is of importance for well-functioning team work in which nursing is

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acknowledged and what is best for the patient is the focus. The students experienced the RN’s role to
be more multifaceted and emotional than expected. Michalec et al. (2013) and Keeling and

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Templeman (2013) describe how clinical experience facilitated the participants understanding and
comprehension of their upcoming role. Therefore, to ease the process of the transition period it is
important for the employer to take responsibility and carefully plan it.
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A risk for an overly challenging work life where errors could occur owing to lack of time, severely ill
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patients, heavy workloads and demanding responsibilities was experienced. The students wanted
reasonable demands from management, responsibility for a reasonable number of patients, and a
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work environment that prevents work related injuries. With the present situation in Swedish health
care, where there is a shortage of RNs to work in the hospitals, it is not surprising that as a
consequence the RNs are responsible for a large number of patients, some of which are severely ill. A
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large number of patients per RN can easily be what the nursing students described as a strained work
situation with demands that are too high. Aiken et al. (2011) reported that there is a relationship
between nurse staffing levels and improved patient outcomes when the work environment is
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perceived as good. The students feared that unfavorable conditions as well as stress would lead to
exhaustion. At the same time, they wanted their working day to be busy, but with enough
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uninterrupted time to care for the patients in a professional and a secure way. Michalec et al. (2013)
reported that burnout was considered by students to be inevitable, which is something the study
participants also predicted after their clinical training. The students expressed how as newly
graduated RNs they lacked work routines, which contributed to the stress in their workdays.
Blomberg et al. (2016) and Kumaran and Carney (2014) reported that newly graduated nurses
experience high levels of stress, and concluded that they benefit from adequate support during the
transition period.

Study limitations
The students might have been influenced by the data collection procedure that allowed them time to
reflect and provide their answers with a senior lecturer present during scheduled class time. The
analysis of the students’ already condensed written material was challenging, i.e. to not over-
interpret the written text. In the analysis process it was not possible for the authors to perform any
kind of follow-up to clarify any problems encountered with reading or understanding the written
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text. Therefore, two authors performed the analysis together to ensure consistency throughout the
analysis.

Conclusion

The students had a positive understanding of the profession and perceived their upcoming role as
interesting. Within the profession are many opportunities and good job security. During the
education, the students recognized the complexity and challenges involved in the role. At the end of
the education they realized that they had to master nursing care as well as coordinate the patient
care team work. The students expressed a concern over their upcoming role as an RN based on their
experiences during clinical training. It is important that first line managers are sensitive to the newly
graduated nurse’s challenges and have an awareness of how to provide supportive measures in
nursing practices, routines and leadership. At an organizational level, in for example hospitals, the
upper management’s attitudes and readiness to find a sustainable approach to support newly

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graduated nurses during their transition period is of strategic importance and could benefit from
close collaboration with the nursing school’s directors. Supportive conditions and well planned

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transition periods could strengthen newly graduated nurses in their professional role and could be an
important aspect in the future retention of RNs.
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Sources of funding: No financial or other relationships exists that might lead to a conflict of interest.
Funding was obtained from Region Gävleborg and University of Gävle. The funding sources had no
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involvement in study design, in the collection, analysis and interpretation of data, in the writing
process, or in the decision to submit the manuscript for publication.
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ur
Jo
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Table 1. Characteristics of the nurse students.

Beginning During End

Available for inclusion 75 53 47
Number of participants (%) 74 (98.7) 53 (100) 30 (63.8)
Age mean (range) 24.4 (18-45) 24.1 (18-45) # 24.3 (18-45)#
Age group 18-20 29 18 13
21-29 33 28 12
30-45 12 7 5
Previous experience in health care n (%) 58 (78.4) 40 (75.5) # 23 (76.6)#
#
Information collected with initial data collection.

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Table 2. Overview of theme, categories and subcategories.

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Theme Category Subcategory
Beginning During End
Meaningful profession with
career opportunities and the
-p- Interest to help others and the characteristics of the profession
possibility to make a - A profession with possibilities
difference
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A conviction their profession To contribute to good team - Close cooperation within the team
will be important, will lead work for good care in a - Develop your own abilities to provide good care and achieve job
to development and be challenging workday satisfaction
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enriching, yet concerned the - Challenging pace and many different duties
demands in the workplace
could be too great
Concerns of not having - Doing right in a demanding,
enough support and of not high pace profession with many
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managing duties
- Difficulties being in a new
professional role and work group
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Box 1. Questions in the study specific form.

Questions
At the beginning and
during the program
At the end of the program
 Identification
 A
Age
A
 Previous work experience in health care
 Why do you want to be a registered nurse?
 How do you envision your future professional life as an RN? Describe how you
think your work day will have been.
 Identification
 B
What care facility are you going to work in?
 B
What made you choose that care facility?
 What is it that has given you the motivation to work as a nurse?
 In your future profession as a nurse, what do you think your challenges will be?
 When you think back to the expectations and conceptions you had of the nurse’s
role – how does it agree with how you see it today? Which expectations have
you been able to identify? Which expectations have you needed to reconsider?
 Is there anything else you would like to convey regarding your upcoming work as
a registered nurse that we have not asked about?
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A
only stated at the first data collection, in the beginning of the program

B
the question was not analysed owing to the different level of abstraction in the written answers

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