Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To assess the perceptions and professional career plans of senior student nurses studying in various nursing colleges in India. METHODS: A cross-sectional E-survey was conducted pan-India through a Google form, and a total of 456 responses were received after obtaining voluntary consent. Data were collected through a self-structured Perception rating scale and a Professional career plan performance assessment. RESULTS: The majority of participants were young, unmarried females from western India, primarily pursuing a B.Sc. Nursing by personal choice. Regarding perceptions of the nursing profession, only 39.9% of participants had a high perception towards the nursing profession. 28.9% of senior student nurses intend to work abroad after completing their program. While 78.9% wish to stay in the profession, 21.1% consider changing careers, primarily due to a lack of respect. Perception scores were significantly associated with age and gender, showing that younger students and females had high perception regarding the nursing profession. Regression analysis confirmed that age had a negative and gender had a positive effect on perception. CONCLUSION: The study concludes that age and gender significantly influence nursing students' perceptions of the profession. It is recommended to implement targeted educational and motivational programs to enhance nursing students' perception.