Promoting recruitment by rebranding the image of nursing.

Understanding the factors that can influence people to pursue a career in nursing is essential for healthcare service managers, human resource professionals and nurse educators, particularly given the global shortage of nurses. There is evidence that the public perception of nursing can be negatively influenced by the media and nursing recruitment advertisements, and that this can discourage some people from choosing nursing as a career. At the Dalhousie University in Canada, evidence regarding the career choices of prospective nurses was used to inform a rebranding strategy for the School of Nursing's recruitment materials. The aim of the rebranding strategy was to present the School of Nursing as a diverse institution that provided a range of career opportunities for its nursing students. This article describes the background and implementation of the rebranding project. It also details how the university's evidence-based rebranding strategy was designed to positively influence people to choose nursing as a career.