Academic motivation among nursing students at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh city and related factors

Background: Academic motivation is a crucial process that initiates learning effectiveness and impacts students’ educational performance. It is also one of the most difficult challenges confronting instructors in nursing education. This study aims to investigate the academic motivation levels among Vietnamese nursing students. and related factors influencing their motivation. Methods: 331 nursing students from year 1 to year 4 at the University of Medicine and Pharmacy at Ho Chi Minh city, participated in a descriptive cross-sectional study through an online survey method. Data was collected, including a demographic questionnaire, Academic Motivational Scale (AMS-28), and The Dundee Ready Educational Environment Measure (DREEM) questionnaire. This research employed a convenient sampling technique. T-test, Pearson correlation, ANOVA, Kruskal Wallis test and multiple regression model were undertaken. Results: The research findings showed that the mean scores of academic motivation among students were as follows: autonomous motivation (4.93 ± 1.29), controlled motivation (5.04 ± 1.18), amotivation (2.27 ± 1.75), and overall motivation (self-determination index - SDI) (5.38 ± 4.41). It was observed that motivation tends to decrease as students progress through their academic years, although the statistical differences have not been confirmed yet. Factors that independently predict academic motivation include (1) lecturer, (2) learning environment, and (3) level of interest in learning, F (4, 326) = 46.94, p < 0.001, adj. R2 = 0.358. Conclusions: The study found that nursing students displayed good academic motivation. It also provides insight into the motivational processes of Vietnamese nursing students in a university environment and offers ways to enhance motivation levels through teachers’ didactic and andragogy skills.