1. PERCEPTION OF NEWLY ADMITTED NURSING STUDENTS IN 2005
BATCH AT BPKIHS ABOUT NURSING PROFESSION
Mehta R.S.
Medical-Surgical Nursing Department
B.P Koirala Institute of Health Science
Email: ramsharanmehta@yahoo.com
Introduction:
Nursing education and its quality, which is evident from the academic achievement of nursing
students, foretells the efficiency of services to be provided by these students. The objective of
this study was to find out the demographic characteristics and explore the various motivating
factors to select nursing profession, among newly admitted nursing students of 2005 batch at
BPKIHS.
Methodology:
It was descriptive exploratory study, conducted among the admitted nursing students in B.Sc.
Nursing and Certificate Nursing (CN) programme in 2005 batch at BPKIHS.A total enumerative
sampling technique was adopted to carry out the study. All the 20 students of B.Sc. Nursing and
41 students of certificate nursing were included in the study. After two weeks of orientation
programme, using opinionaire the data was collected in their respective classroom maintaining
confidentiality and explaining the purpose, by the investigator himself, as he is the nursing
teacher.
Results & Discussion:
Total 61subjects (20 from B. Sc. Nursing and 41 form CN) were included in the study. It was
found that the majority of the subjects were below 19 yrs. Ninety percent students of B. Sc.
Nursing completed their schooling from English medium schools, where as 56.1% of CN. 100%
B. Sc. nursing students completed their SLC and I. Sc. with first division where as 65.9% CN
students completed SLC with first division. Majority of the students were self-motivated to study
nursing. Easy access to job is the main reason for choosing nursing profession. Adequate
infrastructure/facilities, competent teachers, healthy environment, safe place, reputed
organization are the major factors that influences students to choose BPKIHS for study.
Conclusion:
Satisfaction level with getting seats in nursing course and nursing profession is higher among the
CN students in comparison to B. Sc. Nursing students. Similar study can be conducted in large
scale taking sample from many nursing schools. It is mandatory for nursing leaders to think on
raising the professional standard so that society will give due respect to the nursing profession as
well as nurses.
Introduction:

2. Nursing is the oldest of art and youngest of profession. While a nursing student comes out of
nursing institutions after a nightingale’s oath, it is her duty to look after any patient irrespective
of caste, creed, sex or even remuneration. In history we come across nurses who spent their
entire life for the prosperity of the patients and also the total heath of the community. One Nobel
example is the story of Florence nightingale who spent her entire life for nursing the sick.
In this fast moving society a change in both health care and higher education is needed. A look at
nursing education is evident from the academic achievement of students. Nurses need additional
preparation to work in educational settings, as they need to teach function as clinical practitioner
to fulfill the expanded and emerging role of nurse. Nursing education and its quality, which is
evident from the academic achievement of nursing students, foretells the efficiency of services to
be provided by these students.
Objectives:
To find out the demographic characteristics and explore the various motivating factors to select
nursing profession among newly admitted nursing students of 2005 batch at BPKIHS.
Materials and methods:
It was descriptive exploratory study, conducted among the admitted nursing students in B.Sc.
Nursing and Certificate Nursing programme in 2005 batch at BPKIHS.A total enumerative
sampling technique was adopted to carry out the study. All the 20 students of B.Sc. Nursing and
41 students of certificate nursing were included in the study. An opinionaire was prepared by the
investigator to collect the data. After explaining the purpose of study, the verbal consent was
obtained from the students. The students were assured that the information obtained will be
highly confidential and anonymity will be maintained. The study was conducted in their
respected classes after the 2 weeks of orientation programme at BPKIHS by the investigator,
who is the deputy programme coordinator of first year certificate nursing and the nursing subject
teacher of basic nursing concepts of B.Sc. nursing first year. The tool was distributed among the
students and the facts were collected. The collected data were analyzed using SPSS-4 Package
and presented in the forms of tables and graphs.
Results:
Total 61subjects (20 from B. Sc. Nursing and 41 form CN) were participated in the study. It was
found that the majority of the subjects were below 19 yrs. Ninety percent students of B. Sc.
Nursing completed their schooling from English medical schools, where as 56.1% of CN. 100%
B. Sc. nursing students completed their SLC and I. Sc. with first division where as 65.9% CN
students completed SLC with first division. Majority of the students were self-motivated to study
nursing. Easy access to job is the main reason for choosing nursing profession. Adequate
infrastructure/facilities, competent teachers, healthy environment, safe place, reputed
organization are the major factors that influences students to choose BPKIHS for study.
Satisfaction level with getting seats in nursing course and nursing profession is higher among the
CN students than B. Sc. Nursing students.
The details of the results are depicted in table (1-VIII) and figure (I-IV) as follows:

3. Table – I
Socio-demographic Profile of the subjects
B. Sc.
C.N. Mean (CN
nursing
program & B.Sc.)
S.N. Item/Particular program
N=41 N=61
N=20
(%) (%) (%)
1. Age group:
14-16 0 43.9 29.5
17-19 80 53.7 62.3
20-22 20 2.4 8.2
Mean 19 17 17.65
SD 0.917 1.3416 1.5372
Range 18-21 14-20 14-21
2. Schooling
a. General school 10 43.9 32.8
b. English medium school 90 46.1 67.2
3. SLC: division:
1st division 100 65.9 77
2nd division 0 34.1 23
4. I. Sc. division
1st division 100 - -
2nd division 0 - -
5. Main source of family income
1. Service/Job 65 46.3 52.5
2. Business 25 12.2 16.4
3.Agriculture 10 34.1 26.2
4.Others: pension 0 7.4 4.9
6. Success in entrance
1st attempt 95 80.5 85.2
2nd attempt 5 17.1 13.1
> 2 attempt 0 2.5 1.6
7. Aim to be in life:
a. Doctor 60 22 34.4
b. Nurse 30 73.2 59.0
c. Teacher 10 0 0
d. Others: 0 4.9 6.6
8. Motivation to study nursing by:
a. Self 50 60.7 63.9
b. Father 20 12.2 18.4
c. Mother 10 9.8 9.8
d. Relatives 15 7.3 9.8
e. Friends 5 0 0

4. Table – II
Reasons for choosing nursing profession (MR) (In Percentage)
B. Sc. nursing Mean (CN &
C.N. program
S.N. Reasons program B.Sc.)
N=41
N=20 N=61
1. For easy access to Job 95 94.1 94.5
2. My Parents wanted to
40 70.7 60.7
join Nursing
3. I was intrested to
55 85.4 75.4
become nurse
4. Because of glamour of
30 63.4 52.5
the Profession
5. Due to financial
60 43.9 49.2
Problem
6. Thinking I could Join
15 36.6 29.5
nursing later
7. Due to peer pressure 0 4.9 3.3
8. So that I donot have to
0 2.4 1.6
study hard
9. Others: 30 14.6 19.7
Table – III
Future plan after completion of course (In Percentage)
B. Sc. nursing Mean (CN &
C.N. program
S.N. Future plan program B.Sc.)
N=41
N=20 N=61
a. Take up a nursing job
60 82.9 75.4
but continue study
b. Go aboard and practice
30 4.9 13.1
nursing
c. Work at this institute 5 7.3 6.6
e. Not yet decided 5 4.9 4.9

5. Table: IV
Opinion for choosing discipline/Profession in priority from supplied list:
Profession/Discipline
Priority Nursing Medicine Airhostess Teaching Physiotherapy
B.Sc. CN B.Sc. CN B.Sc. CN B.Sc. CN B.Sc. CN
First 20 48.8 75 29.3 - 7.3 5 2.4 - 7.3
Second 55 26.8 25 39 - 7.3 15 - 5 4.9
Third 15 2.4 - 4.9 10 17.1 25 22 30 26.8
Fourth 5 14.6 - 12.2 5 19.5 40 17.1 5 4.9
Fifth &
5 2.4 - 14.6 15 26.7 15 39 35 19.6
>5th
Table – V
Reasons for choosing BPKIHS for study (MR):
B. Sc. nursing Mean (CN &
C.N. program
S.N. Reasons program B.Sc.)
N=41
N=20 N=61
1. Good facilities and
90 97.6 95.1
Infrastructure
2. Competent teachers 65 100 88.5
3. Good teaching learning
85 100 95.1
environment
4. Good residence/hostel 85 100 95.1
5. Good
80 92.7 88.5
environment/Climate
6. Safe place 75 97.6 90.2
7. Reputed organization 100 92.7 95.1
8. Registered organization 100 97.6 98.4
9. Near to my home 50 12.2 24.6
10. As I have got seat 70 61.0 63.9
11. Others 0 2.4 1.6

6. Table: VI
Most liked About Nursing Profession
B.Sc. Nursing C.N. Nursing
SN N=20 N=41
Liked Items No. % No. %
1 Service to sick & Needy/Social service 13 65 21 34
2 Easy Job/Job security 12 60 11 18
3 High scope/Demand/opportunity 6 30 9 15
4 Prestigious Profession/Reputed life 3 15 1 2
5 Easy source of earning 3 15 1 2
6 Medical related field 2 10 0 0
7 Self discipline 0 0 9 15
8 Makes independent 0 0 3 5
9 Others: Practical etc 2 10 3 5
Table: VII
Most disliked About Nursing Profession
B.Sc. Nursing C.N. Nursing
S.N. N=20 N=41
Liked Items No. % No. %
1 Negative Image of Public 8 40 2 3
2 Dominated by doctor 3 15 0 0
3 Dominated by senior Nurses 3 15 0 0
4 Night duty 3 15 1 2
5 Distorted Personal life/Less time for self 4 20 4 7
6 Misunderstanding 0 0 1 2
7 Rude attitude of nurses 0 0 1 2
8 Hard work 0 0 1 2
9 Others: Discrimination etc 4 20 3 3
10 No Response 4 20 29 48
Figure No: - III
Level of Satisfaction with getting seat in nursing Course
Level of satisfaction with getting seat in nursing course
65.9
70 60
55.7 B.Sc.Nursing CN Mean/Av.
60
Percentage
50 39.3
40 35
29.3
30
20
10 5 2.4 3.3 2.4 1.6
0
0
Fully Satisfied Satisfied Just Satisfied Not Satisfied
Satisfaction level

7. Discussion:
In BPKIHS there is highly competition to get the seat in CN as well as B. Sc. nursing
programme. B. Sc. Nursing programme is unique and first time started at BPKIHS in Nepal. In
2005 bath 100% B. Sc. Nursing students completed SLC and I. Sc. in first division and 95%
students succeed in first attempt, majority of the B. Sc. nursing students were from city (75%)
and their aim was to be a doctor (60%). About 30% B. Sc. nursing students plan to go abroad to
practice nursing. In CN programme of 2005 batch 56.1% students completed their schooling
from English medium and 65.9% received first division. About 80% CN students succeed in first
attempt and 41.5% were from city. Majority of the CN students (70.7%) were self motivated to
study nursing and their aim was also to become nurse (73.2%) Easy access to job is the main
reason to join nursing for both CN and B. Sc. nursing students. Only 35% B. Sc. nursing students
were fully satisfied with getting seat in nursing course and choosing nursing as profession, where
as 65.9% CN students were fully satisfied with nursing profession. These findings clearly
illustrate that the B. Sc. nursing students were highly ambitious and professional devotion is less
in comparison to CN students.
Recommendations:
Similar study can be conducted in large scale taking sample from various nursing schools, will
give comparative results. It is mandatory for nursing leaders to think on raising the professional
standard so that society will give due respect to the nursing profession as well as nurses.
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