J Educ Res Nurs. Ahead of Print: JERN-29567 | DOI: 10.14744/jern.2025.29567

Assessing Intern Students' Professional Commitment and Perspectives on Graduate Education

Hatice Polat, Mehtap Tan
Department of Internal Medicine Nursing, Atatürk University Faculty of Nursing, Erzurum, Türkiye

Background: Professional commitment is a concept that influences one’s interest in continuing a profession and engaging in professional development after graduation. Postgraduate education plays a key role in supporting such development by offering valuable opportunities for individuals to enhance their knowledge and skills.
Aim: This study aimed to determine the level of professional commitment among intern students and their views on pursuing postgraduate education.

Methods: This descriptive study was conducted among intern students (n=315) at a Faculty of Nursing between May and June 2017. The research sample consisted of 251 intern students who voluntarily agreed to participate, without any sampling method being applied. Data were collected using the Nursing Professional Commitment Scale and an introductory form that included items on opinions about postgraduate education. Data analysis included frequency, mean, percentage distribution, Pearson correlation, t-test, and Kruskal-Wallis (KW) tests.

Results: The students’ average score on the Nursing Professional Commitment Scale was 78.25±13.27. Subdimensions scores were as follows: “Willingness to Exert Effort” – 39.88±7.97, “Maintaining Professional Membership” – 23.29±6.33, and “Devotion to Goals and Values” – 15.08±2.92. The mean scores for total professional commitment, “Willingness to Exert Effort,” and “Maintaining Professional Membership” were significantly higher among students who had voluntarily chosen the nursing profession (p<0.01). It was found that 63.3% of the students were considering postgraduate education, 38.6% aimed to pursue an academic career, and 77.7% believed that postgraduate education contributes to the professional identity of nursing.

Conclusion: Intern students who willingly chose the nursing profession demonstrated a higher level of professional commitment. Additionally, the majority of students were considering postgraduate education and viewed it as a key factor in enhancing the professionalism of the nursing field.

Keywords: Intern nurse, nursing student, postgraduate education, professional commitment

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