Predictors of Entrepreneurial Intention of Nursing Students Based on Theory of Planned Behavior

PURPOSE: The theory of planned behavior has previously been applied as a theoretical framework for improving entrepreneurial intention in nurses. Our study aimed to draw major variables from these studies and establish a structural equation model that defines predictors explaining nursing entrepreneurial intention. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: Participants included 252 nursing students from four nursing colleges in urban cities of South Korea. The structural equation model was constructed using six variables. Entrepreneurial-personal attitude, entrepreneurial-subjective norm, and entrepreneurial-perceived behavioral control from the theory of planned behavior model were used as exogenous variables, and entrepreneurial education demand, entrepreneurial self-efficacy, and entrepreneurial intention were used as endogenous variables. The data were analyzed using the SAS and LISREL programs. RESULTS: Entrepreneurial perceived behavioral control, entrepreneurial education demand, and entrepreneurial self-efficacy directly affected entrepreneurial intention, whereas entrepreneurial personal attitude and entrepreneurial subjective norm had indirect effects. The explanatory power of the modified model for entrepreneurial intention was 76.0%. These results suggested that expanding entrepreneurial education opportunities and developing interventions for enhancing entrepreneurial self-efficacy are necessary to improve entrepreneurial intention in nursing students. CONCLUSION: The results of this study will be used as basic data for developing curriculums and intervention programs to increase entrepreneurial intention in nursing students. To do this, we suggest that new pedagogies involving entrepreneurial project-based classes, business idea contests, and research and technology are useful tools to facilitate the next step of practical entrepreneurial preparation. Furthermore, an entrepreneurship-oriented culture needs to be fostered and include entrepreneur mentoring, team building, cooperative communication techniques, funding support, and a college-level support system.