Academic Motivation in Undergraduate Nursing Students: An Analytical Cross-sectional Study

Abstract

Abstract Background Nursing students must be motivated to acquire enough knowledge and skills to provide holistic patient care. As nursing students deal with human lives, a lack of motivation may produce incompetent nurses that may lead to a destructive effect on public health, resulting in a loss of capital. Hence, it is pivotal to consider the importance of academic motivation in the journeys of nursing students. This study aimed to assess the mean motivation score of undergraduate nursing students. It also explored the factors that affect the academic motivation of undergraduate nursing students. Methods An analytical cross-sectional study design was employed. A stratified sampling technique was used, and 233 undergraduate nursing students were recruited from a private nursing school in Karachi, Pakistan. The data were collected by using a self-developed questionnaire as a measuring instrument. ANOVA and t tests were applied to explore the mean motivation score among undergraduate nursing students. Results This study showed that students were extrinsically motivated; the final-year students had the lowest mean motivation score. Moreover, female students were more motivated; most students joined nursing because of their family's wishes. Conclusion As motivation decreased in the final year and students were extrinsically motivated, it is recommended that faculty members' roles are vital to promote intrinsic motivation. Different teaching-learning strategies can be used to enhance the involvement of students in educational activities.