“Understanding School Teachers’ Knowledge and Attitude towards Nursing as a Profession: A Descriptive Study.”

Background: Nursing is a vital yet often misunderstood profession facing challenges in attracting new talent. School teachers significantly influence students’ career choices but their knowledge and attitudes toward nursing remain underexplored. Understanding teachers’ perceptions can help improve career guidance and promote nursing as a respected career. This study aims to assess school teachers’ knowledge and attitudes toward nursing to support better student awareness and interest. Objective: To assess the knowledge and attitude of selected private higher secondary school teachers in Natham, Dindigul District, Tamil Nadu, towards nursing as a profession, and to explore the association with socio-demographic variables. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional survey was conducted among 27 purposively sampled private higher secondary school teachers. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire comprising socio-demographic details, a knowledge assessment on nursing, and a 5-point Likert scale attitude measure. Descriptive statistics summarized the data, and Chi-square tests assessed associations between knowledge, attitude, and demographic variables. Results: The majority of participants were female (88.89%), aged 31–40 years (51.85%), and held a B.Ed qualification (55.56%). Knowledge levels were generally satisfactory: 29.63% demonstrated excellent knowledge, 29.63% good knowledge, and 25.93% moderate knowledge, while 14.81% had very poor knowledge. Attitude towards nursing was overwhelmingly positive, with 96.3% expressing positive or highly positive views. No significant associations were found between socio-demographic factors and teachers’ knowledge or attitude towards nursing. However, only 7.41% had attended nursing-related seminars, and 37.04% included nursing in career guidance programs, indicating limited professional exposure. Conclusion: School teachers hold generally positive attitudes and satisfactory knowledge about nursing, regardless of socio-demographic background. Nevertheless, limited exposure to nursing seminars and its sparse inclusion in career guidance highlight the need for targeted awareness programs. Empowering teachers through structured orientation and integrating nursing into career counselling can enhance their role in promoting nursing careers among students.