Nursing students’ self‐esteem levels and attitudes toward the nursing profession

AbstractAimThis study aimed to examine nursing students’ self‐esteem levels and attitudes toward the nursing profession.BackgroundAlthough it is important to choose a profession that will make the person happy in many aspects such as one's abilities, interests, values, attitudes, personal goals, and social expectations, it has an important place, especially in a profession such as nursing, which involves intense emotional and physical load.MethodsThe study population was 390 nursing students at a foundation university in Istanbul, while the sample included 202 students. Data were collected between January 16, 2023, and February 15, 2023, with the Demographic Data Collection Tool, Coopersmith Self‐Esteem Inventory, and the Attitude Scale for Nursing Profession. The data were analyzed using the SPSS 27.0 program. The STROBE checklist was used to report the study.ResultsThe mean age of the participants was 20.79 ± 1.72 (years), among which 65.3% were in the 20–22 age range, 76.7% were female, and 29.7% were in the first grade. A positive but very weak relationship was found between the Coopersmith Self‐Esteem Inventory and the Attitude Scale for Nursing Profession scores (p < 0.05)