Abstract:
Each year at this polytechnic around 130 applicants are accepted to begin a Bachelor of Nursing degree programme. This study aimed to describe the characteristics and expectations of a group of these applicants as they embark on their journey towards this award, which will lead to registration by the Nursing Council of New Zealand and, for most, into a career in the profession of nursing.
This descriptive study was carried out using a questionnaire survey of the applicants after their notification of the success of their application to study but before they actually began the programme. Analysis of the responses to the questionnaire provided a profile of the characteristics of these students and a preview of their expectations of themselves as students and as nurses.
