Factors influencing the decision to go abroad among student nurses at a private university

Abstract

The Philippines, being the leading exporter of nurses in Asia, is facing a 'Brain Drain.' This phenomenon involves the emigration of professionals to other countries, resulting in a significant reduction of skilled workers in their own nation. This research delves into the factors affecting the decision of student nurses to go abroad, with a total of 174 student nurses, predominantly female participants, aged around 23, from both rural and urban backgrounds within a private university in Iloilo City. Employing a descriptive and correlational quantitative design, the study examined the sociodemographic factors which are age, sex, place of residence, parent’s profession and family income and the environmental and educational factors which are views on migration, aspirations to migrate, influence of the family and educational experience. Data was collected using Google Forms. The students electronically signed an informed consent form provided by the researchers. The Researchers used SPSS for data processing and analyzed univariate data using frequency distributions, percentages, and means. They employed inferential statistics, including Pearson's correlation, to explore relationships between variables. Findings highlight the significant impact of perceptions of career prospects and financial opportunities abroad on students' willingness to migrate. While family influence was apparent, it did not emerge as a significant predictor, prompting further inquiry into its role. Additionally, despite a perceived adequacy of the curriculum in addressing health challenges and valued faculty guidance, infrastructural improvements and overall satisfaction are deemed necessary. Notably, statistical analysis identified views on migration and aspirations for migration as the primary predictors of students' decisions to work abroad. These insights provide valuable implications for educational institutions and policymakers in addressing nursing workforce dynamics and fostering global healthcare engagement among student nurses.