Category 2: Educational aspects

Educational aspirations in this study included life-long learning and a desire to complete studies. Most of the participants had great ambitions in nursing for the future, whilst others felt only the desire to complete their current programme, obtain their qualification as professional nurse and work in their communities. However, upon further probing, they admitted to having considered further educational options available to them. Two sub-categories emerged under this category related to: (i) life-long learning and (ii) completing studies.

Life-long learning

Life-long learning, according to Sullivan and Garland (2010:140), is a continuous process, which is essential in this era, when technological and cultural changes constantly

occur, resulting in ‘knowledge explosion’. Students in nursing need to keep pace with all these changes and they need to constantly update their knowledge. All of the participants expressed a desire to continue with their nursing careers once qualified and to obtain additional qualifications following their one-year community service. Kotze (2008:216) describes life-long learning as the continuity of education after obtaining the R425 diploma; this includes additional diplomas, degrees, attendance of seminars, workshops and short courses as well as obtaining certificates. Participants stated:

“The field is actually open for you in nursing itself.” (MSN 12) “I want to start studying further on.” (MSN 3)

One participant wished to become a medical doctor once he had completed his nursing educational goals:

“. . . after that gain my doctor’s degree and that is actually where I want to be.” (MSN 11)

Another participant wished to obtain a doctorate in nursing:

“But ultimately I think I want to get like a PhD, you know in Nursing Science for a certain field.” (MSN 3)

Participants wished to specialise in areas such as Primary Health Care, Occupational Health, Community Nursing, Trauma and Psychiatry. They felt they had so many choices and some wanted to specialise in more than one area of the profession:

“And then also I want to specialise in the future, I want to specialise in medical emergency as I told you. First, I would go into my primary healthcare before doing that.” (MSN 1)

“I would really like to specialise but I’m not quite sure which . . . ..” (MSN 4) These findings are in direct contrast to those of Harding (2005:224) whose participants only indicated interest in high status and prestige and did not indicate this keen desire to further their studies for personal growth and development. It also confirms the AI assumption that the potential for growth is an inherent part of the human condition.

One participant’s perception was that the career opportunities in the profession were in abundance in comparison to other careers:

“The future here is very bright, you can climb as much as you can here, I’m telling you when they say the sky’s the limit here.” (MSN 9)

Some participants stated that they wanted to change and expand their nursing career: “I enjoy community nursing more than the hospital because in the hospital you wake up at 5 o’clock, you have to catch a bus or catch a bus here at the back and coming back late, 8 o’clock.” (MSN 7)

Most of the participants had aspirations for managerial and leadership positions: “I want to maybe be one of the managers in the big hospitals.” (MSN 9) and (MSN 11)

“So, if I would work in a general setting like a general hospital, I would like to be a unit manager or something.”(MSN 11)

“If I would be working as an occupational nurse, maybe or anything of nursing but I want to lead.” (MSN 2)

A participant had ambitions to qualify as a lecturer, after only completing several courses:

“. . . and once I’ve studied other short courses and other advanced courses, and then I want to be a lecturer.” (MSN 3)

Sherrod, Sherrod and Rasch (2006:34) concur that, although the profession is challenging for men, opportunities abound in various areas of nursing and that men can follow exciting and rewarding career paths in nursing.

Completing studies

It became evident that all the participants in this study had a burning desire to complete their studies, despite being placed on the ECP or having setbacks. Even those male students who did not like to study were determined to complete this course and their one- year stint of community service:

“The first point is just to finish this initial study and have the four years and then do my Com Serve and then try and go on with my studies." (MSN 4)

A participant expressed a desire to exercise altruism in the workplace after completing this course:

“Just a professional nurse, qualified but like to lead and to make a great environment for everyone, not just for my patients but for my staff as well.” (MSN 2)

Other participants felt they wanted to work as registered nurses for a while before commencing another course:

“I see myself in two years time, studying further. First of all, cause I want to do Primary Health.” (MSN 10)

“I just want to go out there and start working as a nurse.” (MSN 6)

None of the participants indicated that they were going to drop out of the course, even though some of them had faced some difficulties during the programme. Breier et al. (2009:62) report similar findings of students eager to complete their training course, albeit for very different reasons from those in this study.