Purpose
The purpose of this study is to identify the effect of nursing students' perception of emerging infectious disease, ethical awareness and nurse image on their career identity in a pandemic situation. Methods: Data were collected from 247 nursing students within universities of Daejeon, Gimcheon and Yeongdong area from May 18 to June 20, 2020. The data were analyzed using t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient and regression analysis. Results: The subjects of this study had high level of perception of novel infectious disease (3.72±0.43), ethical awareness in pandemic situations (4.06±0.48), and nurse image (4.07±0.49), but low level of career identity (1.99±0.51). Career identify was significantly correlated with perception of novel infectious disease (r=.18, p=.005), ethical awareness in pandemic situation (r=.16, p=.011), and nurse image (r=.32, p<.001). However, excluding grade and residential area among the general characteristics, only the nurse image (β=.35, p<.001) was identified as a factor influencing career identity, and the explanatory power was 13.1%. Conclusion: To increase the career identity of nursing students, it is necessary to raise professional nurses’ social awareness and develop a positive nurse image.

Citations

• Factors Influencing Graduate Nurses’ Intention to Care for Emerging Infectious Disease Patients Based on Theory of Reasoned Action
  Seonhye Jeong, Yeoungsuk Song
  Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing.2024; 31(1): 60.     CrossRef