Hispanic female undergraduates perception of nursing as a career choice: A phenomenological study

Abstract

According to the 2008 national sample survey of registered nurses, only 16.8% of the Registered Nurse (RN) population is represented by racial and ethnic minority groups with 3.65% of all RNs being of Hispanic origin (HRSA, 2010). The study used a phenomenological approach to identify factors influencing a Hispanic female undergraduate’s perception of nursing as a career choice and explore their decision to disallow nursing as a career option, contributing to the shortage of Hispanic nurses in the Northwest Arkansas metropolitan area. The study participants were 16 female, undergraduate college students, enrolled in nonnursing majors, who described themselves as being of Hispanic or Latino descent. The age range of the participant was from 18 to 30 years. The results of semistructured interviews were compiled and a content analysis completed with the use of a qualitative software program. The study identified five contributing factors that influenced the participant’s decision to disallow nursing as a career choice. Identified themes helped in the development of a thought change model; Step Ahead. The model reflects the importance of career education and career counseling. In order to adequately address a student’s career development needs the Step Ahead Model (SAM) looks at identified processes as variables, taking into consideration the relationships among such variables as interests, support, and advice. Career interventions are directed toward increasing awareness, assessing abilities, and the further exploration of nursing as a profession, leading to an educated evaluation and realistic judgment.