Nursing Students Weigh Transfer Options in New Qualitative Study

A new qualitative study published in BMC Nursing offers a detailed look into the decision-making processes of undergraduate nursing students who have formally applied to transfer out of their program. The research, conducted at a single medical university in China, focuses specifically on students who have moved beyond general dissatisfaction or vague intentions to leave, taking the distinct educational step of submitting a formal transfer application. This specific focus allows for a deeper understanding of how these students evaluate their current profession, consider alternative academic pathways, and anticipate their future professional roles.

The study was led by a team of researchers including Bu Ban, Boxuan Ha, Chunxiang Su, Shujin Yue, Xiangdi Liu, Yinqin Zhong, Yun Chen, Yaxin Zhang, Wenjun Zhang, Hongshuang Chen, and Jiyuan Shi. The research was designed as a descriptive qualitative study, informed by the Theoretical Domains Framework, or TDF. This framework provided a structured approach to analyzing the complex factors influencing the students’ decisions. By using a criterion-based purposive sampling method, the researchers recruited 14 undergraduate nursing students who had completed their first academic year and had already formally applied to transfer out of nursing.

The data collection process involved semi-structured interviews, which were analyzed using a two-stage TDF-informed qualitative content analysis. This method combined inductive initial coding with deductive mapping to the TDF domains. The results indicated that the participants’ accounts covered all 14 domains of the TDF, although these domains were not equally prominent across the different interviews. This suggests that while a wide range of factors influenced the students’ decisions, the specific weight and relevance of these factors varied significantly from one student to another.

One of the key findings was the variation in how well the students understood nursing, their intended transfer majors, and the transfer process itself. Some students had a clear grasp of the demands of their current program and the alternatives they were considering, while others operated with incomplete information. This disparity in understanding highlights the importance of providing comprehensive and accurate information to students considering a change in their academic path. The study also noted that students differed in how they viewed their fit with the academic, interpersonal, and clinical demands of nursing.

The students’ expectations for their future careers also varied considerably. Some participants valued nursing as a profession but did not see the specific role of a nurse as one they wanted to pursue. This distinction is important, as it indicates that dissatisfaction with a specific role does not necessarily equate to a lack of respect for the broader profession. When considering a transfer, students compared various aspects of nursing with those of alternative programs, including job stability, workload, personal interest, and professional responsibilities.

These comparisons were not always based on complete information and were influenced to varying degrees by family and peers, emotional uncertainty, and institutional requirements. The practical demands of changing majors also played a significant role in the students’ decision-making process. The study suggests that the decision to transfer is rarely based on a single factor, but rather on a complex interplay of personal, social, and institutional influences. This complexity underscores the need for a nuanced approach to supporting students who are considering a change in their academic path.

The conclusions of the study emphasize that formal transfer applications involved varied considerations about future careers and professional roles, with students differing considerably in how they reached their decisions. Their choices were shaped not only by personal interests and career expectations, but also by the information available to them, social influences, emotional responses, and the practical conditions of transfer. This multifaceted nature of the decision-making process highlights the importance of providing balanced information and individualized academic and career guidance.

In universities with similar transfer arrangements, the study suggests that providing such support may help students make better-informed decisions about whether to remain in nursing or pursue another program. This could involve offering more comprehensive information about the demands and rewards of nursing, as well as the practicalities of transferring to another major.

The study’s findings have implications for nursing education and student support services. This could include providing more personalized guidance, improving access to information, and addressing the emotional and social factors that influence students’ decisions.

By focusing on a specific group of students who have taken a formal step towards leaving their program, the study provides valuable insights into the decision-making processes that underlie these actions. These insights can inform the development of more effective strategies to support students and improve their educational experiences.

Subject of Research: Qualitative analysis of decision-making factors in nursing students transferring out of their program

Article Title: Career comparison and professional identity reconsideration among undergraduate nursing students who formally applied to transfer out of nursing: a qualitative study

Article References: Ban, B., Ha, B., Su, C., Yue, S., Liu, X., Zhong, Y., Chen, Y., Zhang, Y., Zhang, W., Chen, H., & Shi, J. (2026). Career comparison and professional identity reconsideration among undergraduate nursing students who formally applied to transfer out of nursing: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12912-026-05575-y

Image Credits: AI Generated

DOI: 10.1186/s12912-026-05575-y

Keywords: nursing education, student transfer, qualitative study, career decision, professional identity, academic guidance, BMC Nursing, student retention, career comparison, Theoretical Domains Framework, Career, comparison