Abstract
Aims：The purpose of this study was to clarify what factors influenced graduates with non-nursing majors (bachelor’s degrees in other fields) in returning to school to become nurses in their selection of the nursing educational institution.
Methods：Purposively targeted were 13 universities and 16 nursing schools having special entrance exam system for adult and/or 2nd degree students and randomly selected were 10 vocational schools. A self-administered questionnaire survey was sent to a total of 1255 students from those schools. Returned were 606 (48.3%), of those 576 were useable representing 275 nursing students with bachelor’s degrees and 301 students without bachelor’s degree.
Results：Among the influential reasons extracted for school selections were: “possible to commute from home” and “suitable entrance exam system.” Of high importance for employed students was: “possible to commute from home.” Regardless of the presence of the bachelor’s degree, “smaller school expenses” was a big influencing element.
Conclusion：Entry of students with various knowledge bases may strongly contribute to nursing. The entrance exam system greatly influenced their selection of the educational institution. Transformation of the entrance exam system and provision of social and economical support are needed to promote the entry of these more mature and experienced learners into nursing.
