Career Choices among Students of Khwaja Yunus Ali Nursing College

Abstract

Background: Nursing is a critical health profession, and understanding the factors influencing students’ career choices is essential for workforce planning and professional development. Motivations, family influence, and perception of the profession may significantly affect students’ commitment to nursing. Objective(s): To explore career choices, motivations, family influence, perception of the profession, and future intentions of students at Khwaja Yunus Ali Nursing College. Materials and methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted among 115 nursing students at Khwaja Yunus Ali Nursing College, Enayetpur, Sirajganj. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire covering demographic characteristics, reasons for choosing nursing, family influence, perception of the profession, and intention to continue in nursing. Descriptive statistics including frequency, percentage, mean, median, mode, and standard deviation were used for data analysis. Results: Most respondents were aged 22-23 years (46.1%) with a mean age of 21.02 years. The majority were Muslims (89.6%) and enrolled in the BSc in Nursing program (60.0%). Altruistic motivation, “to serve people,” was cited by all respondents (100%) as a reason for choosing nursing, followed by good job opportunities (89.6%) and higher education prospects (86.1%). Family encouragement influenced 80.9% of students. Most respondents perceived nursing as a very respectable profession (80.9%), and 80.0% expressed willingness to continue in the profession, while 13.9% were unsure and 6.1% were unwilling. Conclusion: Career choice among nursing students was mainly influenced by altruism, career prospects, and family support. Positive perceptions and strong commitment indicate a motivated future nursing workforce. These findings can inform nursing educators and policymakers to strengthen recruitment, student support, and professional development strategies.  

KYANCJ 2026; 07 (01): 47-52