The Self-Concepts and Motivational Orientations of Registered Nurse Master's Degree Students

The results of this investigation indicate that nurses enrolling in nursing master's degree programs are motivated to do so for reasons related to professional achievement and increasing their knowledge base. Many of the respondents indicated the desire to seek positions that reflect the more advanced practice roles in nursing, such as clinical nurse specialist, nurse practitioner, or nurse educator, upon completion of the degree. This is significant when considering that the investigation was conducted during a serious nursing shortage when much emphasis was placed on the recruitment and retention of staff nurses to work at the bedside (Fenner, 1987). The results of this investigation have implications for nursing educators and program administrators in master's degree programs. The seven motivational orientations underlying the reasons for returning to school should be considered when evaluating the ability of their programs to meet the needs and goals of their applicants. This might be accomplished by the exploration of the applicants' reasons for returning to school as well as their professional goals upon completion of the degree during the application process. An exit interview done on completion of the degree requirements could also be performed to determine if the program met the needs of the student.