Abstract
Background
Career intentions have a significant influence on the decision-making process regarding the graduation destination and future development prospects of nursing undergraduates. Concurrently, caring ability, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking are of paramount importance in enhancing the competitiveness and adaptability of nursing professionals. A paucity of research has been conducted on the career intentions of nursing undergraduates and the factors that influence these intentions. The objective of this study was to investigate the career intentions of Chinese nursing undergraduates and to assess the associations of demographic characteristics and core competencies—including caring, self-directed learning, and critical thinking—with these intentions.
Methods
A total of 566 nursing undergraduates from three public medical schools located in the northern, southern, and western regions of China were surveyed in this study. Data were collected using the Self-Directed Learning Instrument, the Caring Ability Inventory, and the Critical Thinking Scale. Descriptive analysis, chi-square tests, one-way analysis of variance, and multiple logistic regression analysis were conducted using SPSS 28.0.
Results
Of the 566 nursing undergraduates, 59.2% indicated their intention to pursue graduate education, 25.3% planned to choose full-time employment upon graduation, and 15.5% expressed uncertainty about their career intentions. Multiple logistic regression showed that grade level (p < 0.001), class cadre experience (p < 0.001), social/volunteer experience (p < 0.05), family income level (p < 0.05), career preference (p < 0.001), caring ability (p < 0.05), self-directed learning ability (p < 0.001), and critical thinking (p < 0.05) all significantly impacted career intentions.
Conclusions
This study highlights that more than half of the surveyed nursing undergraduates intend to pursue graduate education. The key influencing factors include grade level, student leadership experience, social practice/volunteer experience, family income level, and career preferences, alongside three core competencies: caring, self-directed learning, and critical thinking. These findings underscore the necessity for targeted educational and career support that aligns with the aspirations of nursing undergraduates. Such support is conducive to improving the quality of nursing education and promoting the professional development of the nursing profession.
Keywords: Career intentions, Employment, Graduate education, Nursing, Undergraduate, Caring, Self-directed learning, Critical thinking
Introduction
In the contemporary healthcare industry, which is experiencing significant growth, nursing undergraduates are poised to become the predominant providers of healthcare services in the future [1, 2]. However, according to the World Health Organization (WHO), the global nursing workforce currently stands at fewer than 30 million, with a shortage of approximately 5.9 million [3]. This shortage highlights the need for improved career planning among nursing undergraduates. Career intentions are defined as a person’s propensity to pursue a particular career path [4]. They serve as the cornerstone of career planning and play a pivotal role in optimizing the allocation of nursing talent and ensuring the stable development of the nursing profession [5]. Super’s career development theory sees career choice as a dynamic process with five stages: growth, exploration, establishment, maintenance, and decline [6]. For nursing undergraduates, this leads to two main post-graduation options: full-time work (the “establishment” stage where roles solidify) or graduate education (the “exploration” stage where skills grow to match career goals) [6, 7]. Nursing undergraduates now focus on self-reflection, role finding, and career exploration through coursework, career selection, and early job experience [7]. This study thus groups career intentions into three types—“full-time employment,” “graduate education,” and “uncertainty”—to better reflect decision-making and examine influencing factors.
International studies show large differences in nursing students’ career intentions. In the United States and Italy, over 60% promptly enter the workforce, while fewer than 10% pursue graduate education [8, 9]. In Australia, more than half once doubted entering the field, but 60%−73% later worked in nursing [10]. In China, the share of freshmen choosing nursing grew slightly, from 1.3% in 2018 to 1.6% in 2022 [11], but still ranks below world averages. Central South University data show graduate pursuits rising from 43.02% (2021) to 46.58% (2022). A study in the Central Plains found that 30.0% of nursing undergraduates wish to pursue graduate education [12].
Career intentions directly affect nursing students’ professional growth and are tied to their competency development [5]. To match student growth with career plans, nursing educators should use theoretical guidelines. Carl R. Rogers’ humanistic learning theory emphasizes learner autonomy, active meaning-making, and the integration of emotion and thought [13]. This theory highlights three core competencies—caring, self-directed learning, and critical thinking—that are vital for the development of nursing undergraduates.
Caring is defined as the provision of assistance and support to individuals or groups whose physical and mental health, lifestyle, and other needs require greater attention [14]. This fosters positive interpersonal relationships with patients, families, and colleagues, and enhances professional satisfaction [15]. However, extant studies consistently demonstrate an inadequate caring ability among nursing undergraduates [16, 17]. The integration of self-directed learning and critical thinking reflects the capacity of nursing undergraduates to proactively acquire nursing techniques and methods, demonstrating adaptability in a dynamic work environment [18]. Those who are self-directed learners can update their skills and knowledge, helping them keep up with new technologies and practices [19, 20]. Critical thinking enables students to analyze, judge, and use information wisely, improving nursing research and practice and enabling more personalized care [21–23].
Core general competencies in nursing, caring, self-directed learning, and critical thinking not only fulfill the fundamental requirements for career development but also must be tailored to the diverse developmental pathways of students [24–26]. Research has demonstrated that while standardized training, which aims to provide all students with a uniform knowledge structure and skill level, has facilitated fundamental consistency in medical quality, disregarding individual differences among students may pose several potential risks [27]– [28]. Firstly, students will lack room for independent exploration and personalized development, making it difficult for them to develop unique professional interests and clear career positioning. This, in turn, will weaken their internal sense of identity with the nursing profession [29]. Secondly, nursing work inherently requires the integration of diverse competencies. If the education process tends to homogenize students, it may lead to a lack of innovation and the ability to engage in differentiated collaboration in clinical and research work [30]. Further research is currently needed to investigate the impact of these factors on students’ career intentions.
In conclusion, it is imperative to prioritize an investigation of the career intentions exhibited by nursing undergraduates. Despite extensive research on the career intentions and planning of college students across various academic disciplines [4, 31, 32], there is a notable lack of research addressing the career intentions and their influencing factors among nursing undergraduates in China. Furthermore, the associations between core nursing competencies and career intentions remain poorly understood. This study aims to (a) investigate the career intentions of nursing undergraduates in China; (b) assess the impact of the demographic characteristics of nursing undergraduates on their career intentions; and (c) examine the influence of caring ability, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking on the career intentions of nursing undergraduates. By providing a comprehensive analysis of multi-dimensional factors, this research offers empirical evidence to inform targeted training and career guidance in nursing education, ultimately promoting alignment between nursing talent supply and professional development needs. The hypotheses for this study are as follows:
Hypothesis 1 A majority of Chinese nursing undergraduates will intend to pursue graduate education rather than full-time employment or remain uncertain about their career intentions.
Hypothesis 2 Demographic characteristics, including grade level, class cadre experience, participation in social/volunteer work, family income level, and career preference, will significantly predict nursing undergraduates’ career intentions.
Hypothesis 3 Core competencies of nursing undergraduates—including caring ability, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking—will be significantly associated with their career intentions.
Methods
Study design
This study adopted a cross-sectional design to investigate the career intentions of nursing undergraduates and the factors influencing them. A random sampling method was employed to collect data from nursing undergraduates at three public medical schools in northern, southern, and western China from October to November 2024.
Participants and setting
The pilot survey showed that completing the online questionnaire took 5–10 min. The inclusion criteria were: (1) Currently enrolled four-year nursing undergraduates; (2) participants who provided informed consent and volunteered to participate. The exclusion criteria were: (1) incomplete questionnaires; (2) questionnaire responses inconsistent with question content; (3) completion time less than 5 min (to ensure data quality). Prior to the study, participants were informed of their right to voluntary participation and the option to withdraw at any time. All participants completed the questionnaire anonymously.
The total population included 2,537 full-time four-year nursing undergraduates across the surveyed regions. A simple random sampling method was used to select participants from the full list of students. In accordance with the findings of preceding studies [12, 52], the sample proportion (P) was established at 50%, the margin of error (δ) at 5%, and the significance level (α) at 0.05. Using the sample size formula for estimating the population proportion in cross-sectional surveys (including the finite population correction), the minimum required sample size was 334. With a 20% sampling rate, the planned sample size was 507; accounting for a 10% attrition rate, the final required sample size was 564. A total of 570 questionnaires were distributed. After excluding 4 invalid questionnaires, 566 valid samples were obtained, with an effective response rate of 99.3%.
Research instruments
An online questionnaire is composed of four sections: demographic characteristics, caring ability, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking. The questionnaire contains a total of 10 demographic variables, including grade level, gender, and birthplace, as well as 84 statements.
Caring ability was assessed through the Caring Ability Inventory (CAI), developed by Nkongho (1990) [33] and translated by Xu (2008) [34]. The CAI comprises 37 items distributed across three dimensions (cognition, courage, and patience) and is scored on a 7-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree, 7 = strongly agree). The total score ranges from 37 to 259, with higher scores denoting a stronger caring ability. The scale’s dimensional Cronbach’s α coefficients range from 0.71 to 0.84, its test-retest reliability ranges from 0.64 to 0.80, and its Cronbach’s α in this study was 0.925.
The assessment of self-directed learning ability was conducted using the Self-Directed Learning Instrument (SDLI), a tool developed by Cheng (2010) [35]. The SDLI includes 20 items across four dimensions (learning motivation, planning & implementation, self-monitoring, interpersonal communication). The data were collected using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = strongly disagree to 5 = strongly agree). The total scores range from 20 to 100, with higher scores indicating a stronger self-directed learning ability. Cronbach’s α was 0.972 in this study; the Chinese version had previously demonstrated an overall Cronbach’s α of 0.916, subscale Cronbach’s α of 0.732–0.821, and test-retest reliability of 0.884.
The present study employed the Chinese version of the Critical Thinking Scale (CTS), which was developed by Yuan (2008) [36]. The scale includes 27 items across seven dimensions (truth-seeking, analyticity, open-mindedness, systematicity, self-confidence, inquisitiveness, maturity of judgment). The data were analyzed using a 5-point Likert scale (1 = complete inconsistency to 5 = complete consistency). Total scores exceeding 80 or average scores exceeding 3 indicated positive ability. The Cronbach’s α was 0.958 in this study; previous reports indicated a Cronbach’s α of 0.7813 and a test-retest reliability of 0.834.
Data collection
An online questionnaire was administered to participants. The researchers contacted the teachers at the surveyed schools, who subsequently disseminated the questionnaire link to the WeChat group of nursing undergraduates. Before initiating the questionnaire completion section, the system will automatically generate an independent “Informed Consent Notification Page.” The page in question meticulously delineates the objectives of the survey, its content, the time required for completion, and the commitments to voluntary participation and strict confidentiality. A “confirmation button” is strategically placed at the conclusion of the page, requiring students to deliberately click on it to access the questionnaire completion interface. The students then voluntarily completed the questionnaire. During the implementation of the study, the researchers were instructed to maintain the confidentiality of the research subjects, not disclose their private information to outsiders, and assure the research subjects that the collected data would be used solely for the purpose of the study. Each IP address was limited to completing the questionnaire on a single occasion, and all questions had to be answered before submission. During the survey, if a student is unwilling to continue participating (e.g., due to concerns about sensitive questions or scheduling conflicts) or encounters questions they are reluctant to answer, they may choose to withdraw or skip at any time without providing a reason. Neither withdrawing from the survey nor skipping questions will result in any penalty. Following the collection of the questionnaires, two researchers were tasked with organizing and analyzing the background data. This process involved excluding questionnaires that were incomplete, completed in under five minutes or that showed inconsistencies between answers and questions.
Statistical analysis
The analysis was conducted using SPSS 28.0 software. Descriptive statistics were employed to characterize the sample and scale scores (means, standard deviations, frequencies). The chi-square test was used to compare the differences in the general characteristics of nursing undergraduates with varying career intentions. A one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) was employed to compare the scores of nursing undergraduates with different career plans in terms of their caring ability, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking. Multiple logistic regression analysis was employed to investigate the effects of general characteristics, caring ability, self-directed learning ability, and critical thinking on career planning. The level of statistical significance was set at p < 0.05.
Results
Demographic characteristics
Among the 570 participants, 566 completed the questionnaire, resulting in an effective response rate of 99.3%. The majority of the participants were freshmen (40.3%) or female (70.8%). Regarding the participants’ experiences, a considerable proportion lacked experience as class cadres (61.0%) or part-time employees (51.8%). However, a substantial percentage had engaged in social practice/volunteer work (68.6%) and club activities (60.1%). Moreover, the majority of nursing undergraduates (82.3%) expressed a preference for nursing-related jobs. Table 1 presents a comprehensive overview of additional demographic characteristics.
Table 1.
Participants’ demographic information (n = 566)
| Demographics | n (%) |
|---|---|
| Grade | |
| Freshman | 228 (40.3%) |
| Sophomore | 93 (16.4%) |
| Junior | 168 (29.7%) |
| Senior | 77 (13.6%) |
| Gender | |
| Male | 165 (29.2%) |
| Female | 401 (70.8%) |
| Birthplace | |
| Urban | 316 (55.8%) |
| Rural | 250 (44.2%) |
| Class cadre or not | |
| Yes | 221 (39.0%) |
| No | 345 (61.0%) |
| Participation in social practice/volunteer work | |
| Yes | 388 (68.6%) |
| No | 178 (31.4%) |
| Participation in club activities | |
| Yes | 340 (60.1%) |
| No | 226 (39.9%) |
| Having part-time jobs | |
| Yes | 273 (48.2%) |
| No | 293 (51.8%) |
| Only child or not | |
| Yes | 202 (35.7%) |
| No | 364 (64.3%) |
| Family income level | |
| High | 137 (24.2%) |
| Moderate | 233(41.2%) |
| Low | 196 (34.6%) |
| Career preference | |
| Nursing-related job | 466 (82.3%) |
| Nursing-unrelated job | 100 (17.7%) |
Career intentions
As demonstrated in Fig. 1, among a total of 566 nursing undergraComparison of demographic characteristics among duates, 25.3% intended to seek full-time employment after graduation (hospitals: 17%; government employees: 6%; private sector: 2%), 59.2% expressed a preference for pursuing graduate education , while 15.5% remained undecided regarding their career intentions .
Fig. 1.
Nursing undergraduates’ career intentions (n = 566)
Comparison of demographic characteristics among nursing undergraduates with different career intentions
The chi-square tests indicated indicated that grade level (p = 0.047), birthplace (p = 0.007), class cadre or not (p < 0.001), participation in social practice/volunteer work (p = 0.011), status as an only child (p < 0.001), family income level (p < 0.001), and career preferences (p < 0.001) were significantly associated with differences in career intentions among nursing undergraduates. Other detailed statistical data and distribution are shown in Table 2.
Table 2.
Comparison of demographic characteristics among nursing undergraduates with different career intentions
| Full-time employment 143 (25.3%) |
Graduate education 335 (59.2%) |
Uncertainty 88 (15.5%) |
X2 | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grade | 12.760 | 0.047 * | |||
| Freshman | 46 (32.2%) | 135 (40.3%) | 47 (53.4%) | ||
| Sophomore | 23 (16.1%) | 58 (17.3%) | 12 (13.6%) | ||
| Junior | 47 (32.9%) | 101 (30.1%) | 20 (22.7%) | ||
| Senior | 27 (18.9%) | 41 (12.2%) | 9 (10.2%) | ||
| Gender | 0.756 | 0.685 | |||
| Male | 40 (28.0%) | 102 (30.4%) | 23 (26.1%) | ||
| Female | 103 (72.0%) | 233 (69.6%) | 65 (73.9%) | ||
| Birthplace | 9.965 | 0.007 * | |||
| Urban | 71 (49.7%) | 105 (61.2%) | 40 (45.5%) | ||
| Rural | 72 (50.3%) | 130 (38.8%) | 48 (54.5%) | ||
| Class cadre or not | 21.119 | < 0.001 ** | |||
| Yes | 39 (27.3%) | 157 (46.9%) | 25 (28.4%) | ||
| No | 104 (72.7%) | 178 (53.1%) | 63 (71.6%) | ||
| Participation in social practice/volunteer work | 9.055 | 0.011 * | |||
| Yes | 85 (59.4%) | 245 (73.1%) | 58 (65.9%) | ||
| No | 58 (40.6%) | 90 (26.9%) | 30 (34.1%) | ||
| Participation in club activities | 5.656 | 0.059 | |||
| Yes | 81 (56.6%) | 214 (63.9%) | 45 (51.1%) | ||
| No | 62 (43.4%) | 121 (36.1%) | 43 (48.9%) | ||
| Having part-time jobs | 0.011 | 0.994 | |||
| Yes | 69 (48.3%) | 162 (48.4%) | 42 (47.7%) | ||
| No | 74 (51.7%) | 173 (51.6%) | 46 (52.3%) | ||
| Only child or not | 14.899 | < 0.001 ** | |||
| Yes | 36 (25.2%) | 141 (42.1%) | 25 (28.4%) | ||
| No | 107 (74.8%) | 194 (57.9%) | 63 (71.6%) | ||
| Family income level | 20.990 | < 0.001 ** | |||
| High | 21 (14.7%) | 102 (30.4%) | 14 (15.9%) | ||
| Moderate | 61 (42.7%) | 136 (40.6%) | 36 (40.9%) | ||
| Low | 61 (42.7%) | 97 (29.0%) | 38 (43.2%) | ||
| Career preference | |||||
| Nursing-related job | 106 (74.1%) | 314 (93.7%) | 46 (52.3%) | 91.208 | < 0.001 ** |
| Nursing-unrelated job | 37 (25.9%) | 21 (6.3%) | 42 (47.7%) | ||
*p < 0.05
**p < 0.001
Comparison of the CAI, SDLI, and CTS among nursing undergraduates with different career intentions
The results of the analysis of variance (ANOVA) indicated that there were statistically significant differences in the scores of CAI (F = 5.523, p = 0.004), SDLI (F = 13.668, p < 0.001), and CTS (F = 3.508, p = 0.031) among nursing undergraduates with three distinct career intentions (full-time employment, graduate education, and uncertainty). The detailed mean values, standard deviations, and inter-group comparison results for each dimension of the scale are presented in Table 3. Subsequent post hoc comparisons indicated that the “full-time employment” or “graduate education” group exhibited higher scores on these core competency scales than the “uncertainty” group (all p < 0.001).
Table 3.
Comparison of CAI, SDLI, and CTS scores among nursing undergraduates with different career intentions
| Full-time employment 143 (25.3%) |
Graduate education 335 (59.2%) |
Uncertainty 88 (15.5%) |
F | p-value | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| CAIa | |||||
| Total score | 193.85 ± 25.63 | 190.53 ± 25.24 | 182.40 ± 27.44 | 5.523 | 0.004 * |
| Knowing | 78.56 ± 10.87 | 78.11 ± 11.49 | 71.91 ± 12.39 | 11.384 | < 0.001 ** |
| Courage | 57.48 ± 15.29 | 54.41 ± 14.06 | 56.43 ± 11.51 | 3.002 | 0.052 |
| Patience | 57.81 ± 7.48 | 58.28 ± 8.20 | 54.06 ± 9.11 | 9.447 | <0.001 ** |
| SDLIb | |||||
| Total score | 78.19 ± 12.26 | 79.14 ± 11.71 | 71.52 ± 13.98 | 13.668 | < 0.001 ** |
| Learning motivation | 23.60 ± 3.77 | 24.05 ± 3.62 | 21.75 ± 4.14 | 13.167 | < 0.001 ** |
| Planning and implementing | 23.17 ± 4.06 | 23.33 ± 3.89 | 21.00 ± 4.69 | 11.812 | < 0.001 ** |
| Self-monitoring | 15.76 ± 2.62 | 15.87 ± 2.62 | 14.23 ± 2.84 | 13.712 | < 0.001 ** |
| Interpersonal communication | 15.66 ± 2.58 | 15.89 ± 2.59 | 14.55 ± 3.04 | 7.233 | < 0.001 ** |
| CTSc | |||||
| Total score | 101.00 ± 16.24 | 100.43 ± 14.05 | 96.10 ± 15.15 | 3.508 | 0.031 * |
| Truth-seeking | 14.59 ± 2.56 | 14.45 ± 2.49 | 14.03 ± 2.56 | 1.369 | 0.255 |
| Analyticity | 14.20 ± 2.89 | 13.67 ± 2.47 | 13.41 ± 2.66 | 3.064 | 0.047 * |
| Open-mindedness | 15.37 ± 2.60 | 15.50 ± 2.28 | 14.72 ± 2.34 | 3.796 | 0.023 * |
| Systematicity | 10.87 ± 2.18 | 10.56 ± 1.93 | 10.36 ± 1.95 | 2.201 | 0.133 |
| Self-confidence | 15.09 ± 2.58 | 15.10 ± 2.38 | 14.26 ± 2.51 | 4.367 | 0.013 * |
| Inquisitiveness | 19.10 ± 3.24 | 19.15 ± 2.97 | 18.08 ± 3.20 | 4.361 | 0.013 * |
| Maturity of judgment | 11.78 ± 2.12 | 12.01 ± 1.85 | 11.24 ± 1.96 | 5.591 | 0.004 * |
aCAI Caring Ability Inventory
bSDLI Self-Directed Learning Instrument
cCTS Critical Thinking Scale
*p<0.05
**p<0.001
Multiple logistic regression analysis of the influencing factors of nursing undergraduates’ career intentions
Multiple logistic regression analysis used career intention as the dependent variable and included variables that were significant in the univariate analysis (including demographic characteristics such as grade level, birthplace, and class cadre status, as well as three core competencies: caring, self-directed learning, and critical thinking). The results showed that eight variables significantly affected the career intentions of nursing undergraduates (Table 4).
Table 4.
The multiple logistic regression analysis of influencing factors of nursing undergraduates' choices for career intention
| Variablesa | Full-time employment | Graduate education | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| OR | 95% CI | P | OR | 95% CI | P | |
| Caring ability | 1.013 | 1.002–1.025 | 0.021* | 1.007 | 0.998–1.016 | 0.152 |
| Self-directed learning ability | 1.024 | 0.998–1.049 | 0.066 | 1.037 | 1.016–1.059 | <0.001** |
| Critical thinking | 0.991 | 0.971–1.011 | 0.364 | 0.978 | 0.962–0.995 | 0.010* |
| Grade | ||||||
| Freshman | 0.234 | 0.116–0.469 | <0.001** | 0.490 | 0.269-0.894 | 0.020* |
| Sophomore | 0.614 | 0.279–1.351 | 0.226 | 0.990 | 0.495–1.982 | 0.978 |
| Junior | 0.607 | 0.292–1.263 | 0.182 | 1.022 | 0.535–1.951 | 0.949 |
| Senior (Ref) | — | — | ||||
| Birthplace | ||||||
| Urban | 1.560 | 0.951–2.558 | 0.078 | 1.343 | 0.901–2.002 | 0.147 |
| Rural (Ref) | — | |||||
| Class cadre or not | ||||||
| Yes | 1.158 | 0.707–1.897 | 0.560 | 2.921 | 1.993–4.280 | <0.001** |
| No (Ref) | — | — | ||||
| Participation in social practice/volunteer work | ||||||
| Yes | 0.550 | 0.347–0.872 | 0.011* | 0.920 | 0.631–1.342 | 0.665 |
| No (Ref) | — | — | ||||
| Only child or not | ||||||
| Yes | 0.720 | 0.416–1.223 | 0.215 | 1.414 | 0.931–2.146 | 0.104 |
| No (Ref) | — | — | ||||
| Family income level | ||||||
| High | 0.764 | 0.363–1.610 | 0.479 | 2.426 | 1.358–4.334 | 0.003* |
| Moderate | 1.091 | 0.661–1.803 | 0.732 | 1.533 | 1.021–2.300 | 0.039* |
| Low (Ref) | — | |||||
| Career preference | ||||||
| Nursing-related job | 3.155 | 1.903–5.230 | <0.001** | 18.841 | 11.884–29.871 | <0.001** |
| Nursing-unrelated job | — | — | ||||
aThe reference group of the dependent variable was “Uncertainty”
*p<0.05
**p<0.001
Caring ability showed a significant positive impact on students’ intentions for full-time employment (OR = 1.013, p = 0.021), while self-directed learning ability significantly enhanced the intention to pursue graduate education (OR = 1.037, p < 0.001). Notably, critical thinking had a significant negative correlation with the intention to pursue graduate education (OR = 0.978, p = 0.010). Among demographic characteristics, freshmen were more likely to be in the “uncertainty” group. Students with class cadre experience and those from families with moderate or high income levels were more inclined to pursue graduate education. Having social practice or volunteer experience was linked to a reduced likelihood of choosing full-time employment. Students who planned to work in nursing-related jobs after graduation showed a strong positive correlation with having clear career intentions. Detailed data and confidence intervals are presented in Table 4.
Discussion
The present study found that the the majority of Chinese nursing undergraduates tend to pursue graduate education, which aligns with the observations reported by Zhang et al. [37]. This phenomenon is primarily driven by two factors: intensified employment competition from social development and greater nursing professional complexity due to medical advances. Students generally choose graduate education to secure broader career prospects and enhance professional capabilities [5, 38]. Society’s demand for higher-educated nursing professionals continues to escalate [39]. Medical institutions require highly qualified nursing personnel to enhance service quality [5]. Nursing education and research necessitate such talents to advance the discipline [40]. In response to these challenges, nursing institutions have implemented measures such as collaborative research projects and innovative teaching methodologies in courses. These measures have effectively enhanced students’ interest in exploration, professional abilities, and research confidence [41, 42]. The majority of nursing undergraduates who prioritize full-time employment prefer hospitals, a finding that aligns with prior research [43]. As core healthcare hubs, hospitals offer a broader array of career development opportunities, attracting students seeking to enhance their clinical competencies [44]. To enhance employability, nursing institutions have organized skills competitions and training workshops to enhance students’ practical skills and overall competencies [45]. Furthermore, Chinese undergraduate nursing education is vocationally oriented, integrating career-related training into the 4-year full-time curriculum [46]. Lower-grade students are provided with vocational enlightenment through courses, expert lectures, and on-site visits to build professional identity [47]. Upper-grade students receive recruitment and interview guidance embedded in clinical practice to boost employability and reduce career decision uncertainty [48]. This training model features a tiered support approach, progressively transitioning from identity formation to practical application while addressing both individual development needs and market demands.
This study is pioneering in its investigation of the impact of nursing undergraduates’ competence performance on their career intentions. The findings indicate that the possession of caring ability significantly enhances students’ inclination towards securing full-time employment, which is consistent with existing research [49], thereby further enriching the empirical evidence in the relevant field. Empathy, a fundamental component of caring, has been demonstrated to alleviate work stress, reduce job burnout, facilitate work adaptation, and enhance job satisfaction [50]. Consequently, this strengthens students’ sense of identity with and their willingness to pursue clinical careers. However, the caring ability of nursing undergraduates with different career intentions was found to be suboptimal (CAI < 203.1). A notable finding is that a robust professional identity has been shown to motivate students to continually enhance their caring abilities [17, 51]. This provides a theoretical foundation for refining this competency by fortifying professional identity. Self-directed learning ability has been demonstrated to enhance students’ inclination toward graduate education, likely by increasing their engagement in learning, academic self-efficacy, and nursing professional values [52–54]. A survey of Chinese nursing undergraduates further demonstrates that this ability effectively mitigates the adverse impact of perceived stress on professional identity, a critical factor in students’ career development and the quality of their future clinical nursing practice [55, 56]. Consistent with prior studies [57], self-directed learning ability strengthens students’ confidence in addressing academic challenges by enhancing their academic self-efficacy, thereby further shaping their perception and selection of future academic pathways.
However, the findings of this study indicated that nursing undergraduates with stronger critical thinking skills were less willing to pursue graduate education. This finding was contrasted with existing research [58]. Critical thinking emphasizes the rational analysis and evaluation of information, viewpoints, and argumentation processes to form independent and objective judgments [59]. Students who possess this ability may be more inclined to prudently assess the practical value and potential returns of graduate education. According to the findings of relevant studies, the possession of stronger critical thinking skills has been demonstrated to facilitate the development of a more comprehensive and realistic understanding of nursing career development [60] and enable them to systematically consider practical factors such as economic burdens and work-life balance at an early stage of their studies [61, 62]. These findings suggest that this ability may make them more likely to choose clear and pragmatic career paths.
A subsequent analysis of other influential factors related to demographic characteristics reveals that freshmen exhibit a high level of career uncertainty. Notably, relevant studies have found that nursing undergraduates generally demonstrate greater certainty in their career goals compared to students of other majors [63], and their motivations for choosing nursing include the pursuit of better employment (e.g., career advancement, financial independence) and global job opportunities [64]. This underscores the importance of early career guidance. In terms of personal experience, students with class cadre experience are more likely to pursue graduate education, while those who have participated in social practice or volunteer work are less likely to seek full-time employment. Practical experiences may have stimulated their willingness to pursue graduate education for long-term career development, rather than focusing solely on short-term employment. This result is consistent with existing studies [65–67]. Students from families with moderate or high economic levels are more likely to receive support for graduate education. Such families have been shown not only to provide financial resources but also to cultivate a cultural environment characterized by high educational expectations [4, 68, 69]. In addition, students intending to pursue nursing-related jobs have clearer career intentions. This phenomenon can be attributed to the notion that a pronounced career interest engenders learning satisfaction, stable professional cognition, and lucid goal orientation [70, 71].
This study contributes to the expansion of two theoretical domains. In the context of nursing education theory, this framework elucidates the correlation between core competencies (caring, self-directed learning, and critical thinking) and career intentions, thereby providing a theoretical foundation for designing competency-based curricula to guide career development. For the field of career development theory, it supplements empirical evidence on how multi-level factors (personal experience, family income level, and career preference) influence nursing undergraduates’ intentions. This expansion of understanding contributes to a more comprehensive appreciation of the mechanisms that underpin career decision-making processes within specialized healthcare fields.
Limitations
This study has some limitations. Firstly, the cross-sectional design of the study precludes the establishment of causal relationships between career intentions and their influencing factors. Secondly, the use of self-reported data may introduce response bias (e.g., social desirability bias), particularly when the subject matter is sensitive, as is the case with career preferences. Thirdly, the sample was restricted to nursing undergraduates from specific regions/institutions in China, which limits the generalizability of the findings. Additionally, the sample exhibits a disproportionate representation of freshmen and females. The high proportion of freshmen may obscure differences in career intentions across upper grades, while the dominance of female students may mask gender-specific trends in career intentions among males, skewing results toward female cognitive tendencies.
Future research should address these gaps by adopting mixed-methods designs, conducting longitudinal tracking, and using broader, stratified sampling to enhance representativeness and more comprehensively capture the career-intention characteristics of Chinese nursing undergraduates. Moreover, with the advent of telehealth, nursing informatics, and community-based care, future research endeavors may encompass the mapping of nursing undergraduates’ career intentions within these domains and the analysis of how core competencies influence such decisions. This will assist nursing institutions in adjusting their curricula to align with the evolving demands of the workforce and to support students’ diverse career aspirations.
Conclusion
This study revealed that, in terms of their career intentions, the nursing undergraduates in this study intended to pursue graduate education. Its innovative contribution lies in systematically identifying two categories of key factors influencing career intentions: demographic factors (grade, cadre experience, social practice/volunteer experience, family income level, career preferences) and three core competencies (caring ability, self-directed learning ability, critical thinking). It addresses a research gap by linking multidimensional competencies to nursing students’ career intentions—an association that has been examined rarely in prior studies.
Nursing education should be aligned with students’ career needs and cognitive abilities, integrating personalized guidance with core competency training to help them build positive career intentions and turn these into clear plans and actions. For students seeking full-time employment, lower-grade students (freshmen and sophomores) can strengthen professional identity and basic skills through professional literacy lectures and skill training. Upper-grade students (juniors and seniors) should cultivate professional responsibility and empathy through industry exchanges, employment sharing, and hospital-specific practice. Students aspiring to pursue graduate education should be encouraged to participate in academic seminars, professional associations, and research groups. Furthermore, it is imperative that they are guided in their use of online resources to expand their academic horizons, comprehend cutting-edge developments through in-depth exchanges, and cultivate personalized academic growth pathways.
Acknowledgements
Not applicable.
Abbreviations
- CAI
Caring Ability Inventory
- SDLI
Self-Directed Learning Instrument
- CTS
Critical Thinking Scale
Authors’ contributions
Wanting Zhang carried out the conception and design of the study, participated in data collection and analysis, and completed the drafting and critical revision of the paper. Zitong Zhang and Peijuan Jiao were responsible for the design of the study and data collection. Yuqiao Xiao and Cai Deng participated in data analysis and interpretation. Junxiang Chen, Jia Chen and Honghong Wang participated in critical revision of important contents and language of the paper. Can Gu revised the content of the paper and provided funding support. All authors read and approved the final manuscript.
Funding
This research was funded by 2024 Higher Education Scientific Research Planning Projects of Medical Education Committee of Chinese Society of Higher Education (Grant numbers 24YJ0415), 2019 Research Project on the Construction of Curriculum Civics in Central South University (Grant numbers 2019kcsz086), and 2025 Postgraduate Independent Exploration and Innovation Project of Central South University (Grant numbers 2025ZZTS0862).
Data availability
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.
Declarations
Ethics approval and consent to participate
This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the School of Nursing, Central South University (E202478). All procedures were conducted in accordance with the principles outlined in the Declaration of Helsinki. Informed consent for this study was obtained from the college’s leadership, its faculty, and all nursing undergraduates. The researchers provided a detailed explanation of the study’s purpose, the data collection process, and the potential risks and benefits associated with the study. Voluntary participation was emphasized in this study. The collected data were kept strictly confidential. Anonymization and encryption technologies were used to avoid the disclosure of personally identifiable information. Meanwhile, the rights and wishes of the participants were fully respected, and they were free to skip any questions they were unwilling to answer or withdraw from the study at any time. In addition, to ensure the scientificity and impartiality of the research, the samples in this study follow the principles of rationality and science. During the data analysis and result reporting stages, efforts were made to avoid distortion or misinterpretation of the study results and to ensure the authenticity and reliability of the findings.
Consent for publication
Not applicable.
Competing interests
The authors declare no competing interests.
Footnotes
Publisher’s Note
Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.
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Associated Data
This section collects any data citations, data availability statements, or supplementary materials included in this article.
Data Availability Statement
The datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.