Dilek ERDEN
Mediterranean Nursing and Midwifery - 2026;6(1):27-36
Objective: Finding out how senior nursing students perceive their professional readiness and academic career awareness is the goal of the study. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional study involved 106 senior nursing students. The Academic Career Awareness Scale, Professional Readiness Perception Scale, and Information Form were used to gather data. Results: The mean total score obtained from the Academic Career Awareness Scale was 84.01 +/- 17.95, while the mean total score obtained from the Nursing Professional Readiness Perceptions Scale was 64.73 +/- 6.32. The Nursing Professional Readiness Perceptions of those who were satisfied with studying nursing (P < .001), those who chose nursing willingly (P < .001), those who intended to pursue a master's degree after graduation (P = .011), and those who preferred the nursing profession for its ability to help people (P = .004) were significantly higher. The Academic Career Awareness (P = .007) and Nursing Professional Readiness Perceptions (P = .016) of nursing students who consider themselves professionally ready are significantly higher. A statistically significant positive weak correlation was observed between the total scores of the Professional Readiness Perception Scale and the total scores of the Academic Career Awareness Scale (r = 0.338, P < .001). Conclusion: It was concluded that the factors affecting academic career awareness and professional readiness perceptions were being satisfied with studying nursing, choosing the department willingly, and feeling ready for the profession, and as academic career awareness increased, nursing professional readiness perceptions increased positively.
