Previous knowledge about the specialty of Occupational Nursing in undergraduate nursing students at the University of Cadiz

Introduction: Nursing has evolved significantly resulting in various specialties about which there is lack of knowledge, partly due to lack of guidance during undergraduate training. The objective is to explore knowledge about the specialties, particularly in relation to occupational nursing and occupational health concepts. Methods: Cross-sectional study in October 2023 in third-year nursing students in Algeciras (Cádiz). An ad hoc pre-test post-test questionnaire was administered. For quantitative variables, median and minimum and maximum values were calculated due to non-normality of the sample. For qualitative variables, frequencies and percentages were calculated. Chi2 test and Fisher's exact test were used to compare pre- and post-test variables, considering a statistical significance level of p<0.05. Results: The prevalence of the female sex (92.1%), the majority of patients were from Cadiz (28.9%) followed by Malaga (23.7%). There was a high level of knowledge about the duration of the specialty (89.5%) and occupational hazards (89.5%). Initial disinterest in doing an internship in an SPRL decreased from 39.5% to 25.8%, although the difference was not significant. After receiving information, 10.5% of those who would do the specialty went to 48.4% (p<0.001). Conclusions: The data reveal a lack of knowledge about specialties. Many would consider doing internships in an SPRL with additional information. This deficit needs to be addressed in undergraduate training so that students can make an equal choice of specialty, which will result in quality nursing care.