Table 2 Inductively inferred categories

The desire to feel useful

“The wish to be useful to others.” (264)

“I like to be useful and to help people.” (70)

“The desire to be helpful to others.” (106)

The desire of knowledge

“I chose this degree course because I have always been fascinated by the world of health care.” (36)

“I chose a degree course that would guarantee me a more immediate professional future …in addition to this motivation, another factor comes into play, even more important, namely the desire for knowledge.” (105)

Family tradition: one or more components of the family is a healthcare professional, a nurse, a doctor, etc.

“I chose the nursing degree course for various reasons. First of all, because I have relatives in the medical field who have passed on the desire to help suffering people.” (157)

“I have relatives that are nurses and doctors; they introduced me to this world.” (149)

“I grew up in an environment full of doctors.” (286)

“…my motives are also family based, in fact my father is a nurse and I would be happy to follow in his footsteps.” (110)

To consider nursing profession a rewarding profession.

“I consider nursing a rewarding field, in fact a series of actions to improve the patient’s condition of health are carried out! I consider nursing a rewarding profession!” (9)

“I think I would feel gratified at the end of the day knowing that I helped.” (122)

“It (this work) is something that gratifies me, that makes me feel good, that satisfies me.” (202)

“I think that helping people who are ill and who are in difficulty is one of the most satisfying things that gratifies them.” (18)

The desire to help others.

“I think that helping sick people is absolutely one of the most rewarding things, which gratifies you.” (18)

“I want to take care of others.” (168)

“The idea of being able to help people really appeals to me.” (266)

Seeking human contact.

“I really love being in close contact with people.” (188)

“I like to have personal contact with people.” (182)

“I love to interact with people.” (258)

To consider nursing profession as a mission.

“Ensuring that people who suffer are able to find not only a good nurse, but also an angel of consolation. We have to get to know them and to serve them with love.” (131)

“Helping people suffering is a mission to be pursued.” (36)

“I’ve always wanted to make a contribution to society, helping others because a nurse’s job is really a mission.” (150)

Personal experience, such as job experience (e.g. volunteering), hospitalization, a relative with an illness, etc.

“The motivation that has driven me to this decision was the death of my grandparents (death due to illness), and the death of a special good friend, who died long ago, at a much too early age.” (36)

“I had a painful personal experience, therefore I realized that my pathway was to help people.” (64)

“The choice was reinforced also by many personal ‘negative’ experiences in hospitals during the last few years of my life.” (44)

“This desire began after an event that occurred in my family.” (43)

Skills, abilities or personal characteristics that students think they possess.

“In addition to the skill acquired by study and practice, it need a strong sense of humanity, with patience, kindness and firmness. I think I have these personal characteristics.” (65)

“I am a person who can listen and help …I think anyone who wants to undertake this type of profession should have this kind of personality.” (35)

“Helping others has always been in my nature.” (187)

Oriented to manual and practical applications

“Helping those in need …not from behind a desk, but doing something concretely, with a hands-on approach.” (191)

“I like the curriculum which includes not only theoretical topics but also practical aspects.” (184)

“In this degree course, we will be immediately brought into contact with the concrete work, we will put into practice what we study.” (221)

“It allows me to do something concrete to help others.” (251)

Recommendations of family members and friends.

“…thanks to different orientation services of the university and also after talking with friends, I realized that my future would be right in this course of study.” (158)

“My girlfriend is in the third year (of nursing degree course) and she inspired me a lot.” (182)

“Friends also influenced me to make this choice.” (230)

Attraction of the image of the nursing role.

“I have always been attracted by the figure of the nurse as a person that is in direct contact with people and therefore has a very crucial role of responsibility.” (1)

“I have chosen a nursing degree course because I think the nurse is one of the most noble and important jobs in the world of work.” (94)

The choice of a nursing degree course isn’t the first option (for example, students weren’t able to pass admission tests in other preferred degree courses).

“I am a first year student at this university course, after I obtained a university degree in philosophy. Clearly, this is not a choice motivated by passion, because philosophy was my first choice, but motivated by the desire to find a future career.” (230)

“…because last year, I wasn’t admitted to a physiotherapy degree course.” (163)

“I wasn’t admitted to a medical degree course, then I choose this degree program.” (222)

“Nursing is my second choice. In fact, I will would like to attend the course of medicine.” (258)

“Nursing was my eighth choice.” (75)

Job opportunities.

“I made the decision to choose a course of study that would guarantee me a job opportunity.” (105)

“I was driven by the possibilities of employment at European level.” (182)

“This degree course offers many opportunities of employment.” (198)

“The first (motivation) concerns job opportunities, in fact, the percentage of graduates who find a job after the first year is very high.” (188)

People’s smiles are rewarding.

“Helping others and seeing them happy would be gratifying for me, because I would have contributed to their lives.” (44)

“…give a smile to people who need it.” (198)

“I love the smiles of people.” (288)

“Being useful to others, to give them a smile to relieve their suffering,…, is something that would make me completely satisfied.” (161)

Interest in science subjects.

“The main reason why I enrolled in this degree course is because I have a preference for scientific topics, such as biology and chemistry.” (109)

“I have a great passion for healthcare and science subjects such as biology, anatomy, etc.” (49)

“Interest in topics concerning the health sector.” (87)

The intention or desire to be a nurse is present from many years.

“From my early childhood, I felt that the role of this profession was right for me.” (139)

“I always wanted to be a nurse.” (152)

The choice is motivated by a specific career goal.

“When I think about my future, I see myself in the operating room assisting a surgeon.” (165)

“After I graduate, I will be able to specialize in obstetrics.”(126)

“I enrolled in this course because my ambition is to become a scrub nurse in the operating room.” (2)