What attracts second degree students to a career in nursing?

The fastest growing university-based nursing programs are the accelerated programs of study for students who hold a baccalaureate degree in another discipline and desire to change careers. Understanding the factors that attract these individuals to the study and practice of nursing is important for nursing recruitment and retention. In this article the author describes how she analyzed the stories of the first two cohorts of students (N=66) admitted to an accelerated, second degree program in the Southeastern United States. These stories, written by prospective students, described the factors that influenced their decision to pursue the study of nursing as a second career. A content analysis identified three themes: What I bring to nursing; Seeking satisfying work; and The missing piece. The findings provide insight into the factors that attract the second degree/career changing learner to the study of nursing. The author begins with a review of literature related to the reasons for choosing nursing as a profession and a description of the method used to analyze the stories written by the prospective students. This is followed by her presentation of findings, along with a discussion of the findings and the implications of the findings for educators and employers.