Can educational methods influence the popularity of psychiatric nursing?

The ongoing difficulty of attracting sufficient numbers of undergraduate nursing students to a career in psychiatric nursing has been acknowledged. Limited available research suggests that education can produce a more positive view of psychiatric nursing. Despite these findings, research into the impact of educational methods upon the popularity of psychiatric nursing has not been undertaken. This paper reports the findings of a quasi-experimental research project, which examined the relationship between the study of, and the popularity of, psychiatric nursing. The results propose that through undertaking the psychiatric nursing program, psychiatric nursing as a future career option became more popular. The greater significance of the results of this study than had been found in previous studies suggests that problem-based learning is an educational method capable of influencing the development of more positive attitudes.