# Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Factors Influencing Nursing Intentions toward COVID-19 Patients

## TL;DR

This study explores what influences nursing students' willingness to care for patients with COVID-19, finding that perceived risk and attitudes are key factors.

## Contribution

The study identifies perceived risk as the strongest predictor of nursing intentions toward COVID-19 patients among nursing students.

## Key findings

- Perceived risk was the most significant factor influencing nursing intentions (β = −0.38, p < 0.001).
- Positive attitudes and preventive behaviors also significantly influenced nursing intentions.
- Together, these factors explained 26% of the variance in nursing intentions.

## Abstract

Coronavirus disease (COVID-19) is a pandemic to which nursing students are particularly susceptible. This study aims to comprehensively examine nursing students’ knowledge, attitudes, risk perceptions, preventive behaviors related to COVID-19, and nursing intentions toward patients with the virus. A questionnaire was administered to 149 nursing students from two universities. Data on the respondents’ general characteristics, knowledge levels, attitudes, perceived risk, preventive behaviors toward COVID-19, and nursing intentions toward COVID-19 patients were collected. The collected data were statistically analyzed using SPSS software (version 26.0). This involved descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, one-way ANOVA, Pearson’s correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression analyses. The analyses of the factors affecting nursing students’ nursing intentions for COVID-19 patients showed that the most predictive factor was perceived risk (β = −0.38, p < 0.001), followed by attitudes (β = 0.29, p < 0.001) and preventive behaviors (β = 0.17, p = 0.017), which explained 26% of the variance in nursing intentions. Lowering the perceived risk of infectious diseases and cultivating positive attitudes and preventive behaviors can increase nursing students’ intentions toward COVID-19 patients. Finally, infection management education programs and research on interventions for nursing students are necessary to enhance the quality of nursing care provided to patients with novel infectious diseases.