NURSING STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF CAREER IN CHN                                                 
               
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
                      Baccalaureate Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Community 
                                           Health Nursing as a Career 
                                                              
                                                              
                                                              
                                          Maame Akyaa Duah, RN, BScN 
               
                                                           
                                                           
                                                Thesis submitted to the 
                                       Faculty of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies 
                                         In partial fulfillment of the requirements 
                                      for the degree of Masters of Science in Nursing 
                                                      Program 
                                                           
                                                 University of Ottawa 
                                                           
                                     © Maame Akyaa Duah, Ottawa, Canada, 2015 
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
                                                           
               
           NURSING STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF CAREER IN CHN                        ii 
            
                                           Abstract   
                                                
           Background: There has been an increasing shift in patient care from the acute hospital setting to 
           the community. Nurses play an essential role as part of the community health care workforce; 
           however, only a limited number of baccalaureate nursing students tend to choose a career in 
           community health nursing after graduation. There is currently a gap in knowledge surrounding 
           nursing students’ perception of a career in Community Health Nursing and the issues influencing 
           their career choice upon graduation.  
           Purpose: To explore issues that influence career choice in community health nursing from the 
           perspective of baccalaureate nursing students.   
           Research Methodology: The study was guided by a descriptive qualitative research approach. 
           Individual semi-guided interviews and focus groups were conducted with 11 nursing students 
           and a group of key stakeholders to share their thoughts on pursuing a career in community health 
           nursing and the factors that enabled or hindered their decision making.  Thematic analysis of the 
           interview and focus group data generated relevant themes. 
           Findings: Five major themes were revealed from study. These are 1) defining community health 
           nursing, 2) the clinical practicum experience, 3) stereotypes of community health nursing, 4) 
           societal trends and expectations, and 5) issues influencing career choice in community health 
           nursing. 
           Discussion and Implications: The personal and contextual factors influencing the perceptions 
           and attitudes of students towards pursuing community health nursing were discussed. Existing 
           literature was integrated into the discussion of the many factors that both motivated and hindered 
           baccalaureate nursing students from pursuing community health nursing. The 
           underrepresentation of new graduates in community health nursing calls for directed efforts by 
           community health nursing organizations and the university to improve the situation.  
           Conscientious efforts need to be made to provide students with knowledge and information 
           surrounding the roles of community health nurses and the opportunities for nursing students and 
           nurses in community health nursing settings.   
           Conclusion: There is a need to increase awareness about community health nursing in order for 
           nursing students to understand the importance and impact it has on the health status of 
           communities and healthcare delivery infrastructure.   Nursing education programs would be an 
           ideal platform for this awareness-raising and facilitate student nurses decision to pursue 
           community health nursing as a career. 
                 Keywords: community health nursing, career choice, undergraduate nursing, students 
            
                                                                                   
            
           NURSING STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF CAREER IN CHN                       iii 
            
                                          Dedication 
           This thesis is dedicated to my wonderful husband, Wilfred and my beautiful children, Myra Ami and 
           George Mevado III, my greatest sources of motivation.  Thank you for your love, support, patience, and 
           the sacrifices you made throughout my academic career. 
           Wilfred, I cannot possibly thank you enough for all of your support, and encouragement over the years.   I 
           am eternally grateful... I love you, always. 
           As well, to my parents, none of this would have been possible without you, I will forever be thankful. 
            
                                                                                   
            
           NURSING STUDENTS’ PERCEPTIONS OF CAREER IN CHN                       iv 
            
                                       Acknowledgements 
                                                
                 Foremost, I would to thank the nursing students who participated in the study. Their time 
           is well appreciated and their stories have shed new light into current understanding of why 
           baccalaureate nursing students may or may not choose a career in community health nursing.  I 
           would like to express my sincere gratitude and appreciation to my Thesis Supervisor Professor 
           Josephine Etowa for her continuous support throughout my Master’s research. Throughout the 
           research and thesis writing she believed in me, and provided me with sound advice, motivation, 
           encouragement and patience. I could not have imagined having a better supervisor and mentor 
           for my Master’s study. 
                  
                 I would like to thank my thesis committee members Dr. J. Craig Phillips and Ms. Esther 
           Moghadam for their insightful comments that positively guided me in the right direction. Your 
           knowledge and expertise were abundant and indispensable.  
                  
                 Most importantly, my deepest gratitude to my parents, who supported and encouraged me 
           throughout my entire Master’s program. None of this would have been possible without you.  
           My heartfelt gratitude to, my husband, Wilfred Agbenyikey and our children, Myra Ami and 
           George Mevado III, thank you for being my biggest inspiration and motivation to get me where I 
           am today.  My sincere gratitude to my siblings, Kate, Akua, Kofi and PJ who did all they could 
           to assist me along the way including assisting with transcription! This has truly been a family 
           project, and I would be forever grateful to you all. 
                 I would also like to thank God, whose many blessings have made me who I am today.