Research into the promotion of nursing and midwifery as a career of choice involving the medium of film

Nurses and midwives are essential components of any healthcare system. These professionals play critical roles in the delivery of healthcare services. However, in recent years, there has been a global decline in interest amongst young people in pursuing careers in nursing and midwifery. In Ireland, fewer students are selecting these professions when making decisions about university courses, with negative perceptions and stereotypes often cited as an influencing factor. Consequently, there is a need to develop age-appropriate interventions to promote nursing and midwifery. There is emerging evidence that media can impact young people’s decisions to pursue careers. Moreover, film is considered an acceptable intervention amongst young people and can be successfully implemented within the secondary school environment. Therefore, the aim of this study was to develop a short film to promote the professions of nursing and midwifery and to evaluate its effectiveness amongst young people. A mixed methods design was adopted. An email advertising the study was sent through the Head of Student Recruitment, University College Cork, to guidance counsellors in secondary schools throughout Ireland. The study was also promoted over social media. Students from 4th, 5th, and 6th year were recruited, and invited to watch a short film developed by the research team. The short film, titled, Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You? (22-minutes in length) was developed through a process of co-design with a researcher with expertise in nursing and film studies, and students and Programme Directors from intellectual disability nursing, general nursing, mental health nursing, children’s nursing, and midwifery. In addition to the scripted scenes, each individual short film concluded with a “talking head”, featuring a student from each discipline.