# Career commitment and sense of calling in nursing students: a longitudinal study

## TL;DR

This study explores how career commitment and sense of calling evolve in Chinese nursing students, with implications for workforce stability.

## Contribution

The study reveals differences in career-related factors between only-child and non-only-child nursing students in China.

## Key findings

- Career commitment, self-efficacy, and sense of calling vary between only-child and non-only-child nursing students.
- Longitudinal relationships among career factors differ based on students' family background.
- Findings suggest the need for tailored nursing education and management strategies.

## Abstract

Under China’s one-child policy, the new generation of nursing students has gradually entered the workforce. Their career commitment, career self-efficacy, and sense of calling have undergone changes. It is necessary to assess the relationships and underlying mechanisms among these factors in order to stabilize the nursing workforce and cultivate high-quality clinical nursing professionals.

A cross-lagged design was used, with a total of 693 nursing students participating in September and December 2022. The 27-item undergraduate career commitment scale, the Chinese version of career self-efficacy scale, and the brief calling scale were measured over time.

The relationships between career commitment, career self-efficacy, and sense of calling differed by only child and non-only child nursing undergraduates.

It is important to introduce specific measures aimed at enhancing the quality of nursing education and implementing effective nursing management methods to ensure the stability of the nursing workforce.