Results show that many nursing students begin their
education with a lay person’s conception of the profession, shaped by media
representations. Work placements in different settings offer clinical experience that
helps students orient themselves towards a future profession. Students prefer hospitals as
a place of work, because of the acute nature and technologically advanced level of care
offered there. Few students perceive mental health and elderly care as appealing.
Perceptions of community care can vary widely, the most prevalent view being that it is
unattractive because of its chronic care profile, with little technical skill, untrained
workers, and a high workload. However, another view is that it offers challenging and
meaningful work because of the variety of caregiving roles and the opportunity to work
independently