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Background/objectives: Higher education institutions must improve the attractiveness and retention of the nursing profession to address the widespread shortage. This pilot multimethod study aimed to preliminarily understand the relationship between motivations for enrolment and dropout among first-year undergraduate nursing students., Methods: A two-step approach was conducted among first-year nursing students from five Italian universities involving: (a) a baseline quantitative online survey collecting their characteristics and motivations for enrolment; (b) a follow-up semi-structured interview qualitative data collection among students who dropped out. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to describe the motivations for enrolment and differences between universities. Dropout motivations emerged from inductive content analysis, with data categorisation according to Urwin's framework., Results: A total of 759 students completed the online survey. Primary motivations for enrolment included the desire to be useful (88.8%), help suffering people (84.3%), and find employment (74.2%); 22.3% cited unsuccessful admission to another university as motivation for enrolment. Of the 141 students who discontinued, 31 were interviewed (22%). Eleven categories and three themes were identified. More than half of the participants dropped out due to interest in other courses and lack of aptitude, while a smaller number cited personal circumstances. Other motivations for dropout were related to negative learning environments or feelings and difficulties related to course characteristics., Conclusions: This study provides an initial insight into these complex phenomena that will be instrumental in understanding data from an Italian multicenter cohort study. The findings can inform recommendations and strategies to strengthen the future nursing workforce.

. Investing in healthcare professionals. The motivation for enrollment in bachelor nursing courses: results from a pilot study., Introduction: Understanding the reasons for enrolling in a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSc Nursing) is crucial for devising strategies to stimulate enrollment and counteract the current decline in applications. A multi-center longitudinal study was initiated to explore motivations for enrollment and dropout rates. The results of the pilot study focusing on enrollment motives are presented., Objective: To identify the reasons for enrolling in BSc Nursing programs at five Italian universities., Methods: First-year BSc Nursing students enrolled in the academic year 2022-2023 completed an online questionnaire exploring socio-demographic and personal information, priority criteria for their choice, information sources, and the following reasons for enrolling (Likert scale 1-5): altruistic motivations, personal interests, preferences, past experiences, job security, advice, fallback options, and the social image of nursing., Results: 759 questionnaires were analyzed (78% of those involved). 64.7% of the students indicated nursing as their first choice, while one-third enrolled as a fallback option, by chance, or because they were uncertain. Altruism was the primary motivation for enrollment (91.8%), but 74.2% of students enrolled to secure a good job or to pursue a career (52.3%), or due to curriculum counseling sessions (13.7%). Some differences were observed between geographical areas., Conclusions: Students primarily enroll in BSc Nursing programs due to altruism, personal experience, and job prospect. These findings may be valuable for guiding and tailoring information campaigns, and for enhancing the appeal of nursing courses.