Youth perceptions of nursing and employment opportunities: a systematic review with insights from Albania

Background: Many countries face a shortage of nurses while young people’s perceptions and motivations play a key role in their career choice. Understanding what drives youth toward or away from nursing, and how employment prospects shape that choice, is critical. Aim: To synthesize evidence from recent studies about young people’s perceptions of nursing as a career, the factors influencing their decisions, and the employment opportunities associated with the profession. Methods: Systematic review of articles published in peer‐reviewed journals between ~2000 and 2024 from Web of Science, Scopus, PubMed, and Google Scholar. Search terms included “nursing career choice among youth/adolescents”, “perception of nursing profession”, “employment opportunities in nursing”. Inclusion criteria: empirical studies about youth (high school, undergraduate) or new entrants; studies that report perceptions, motivation, and/or employment opportunity data. Data extracted: motivations (intrinsic/extrinsic), perceptions (image/status, autonomy, working conditions), employment expectations, barriers. Results: The main motivations for choosing a career in nursing are the desire to help others, altruism, passion, and interest in health. External factors such as job security, salary, and opportunities to work abroad are also very important and influence young people's decisions. However, perceptions of nursing often remain negative: many young people see this profession as lower in status compared to doctors, associating it with limited autonomy, difficult working conditions, and a lack of social recognition. For example, many young people do not consider nursing a prestigious profession. Opportunities for good and stable employment are also significant factors that influence the choice of this profession, especially in areas where there is a shortage of nurses and where good job prospects are available. Conclusions: Nursing has strong potential as a profession for young people, especially when employment prospects are good. To capitalize on this “golden opportunity,” initiatives are needed to improve the image of nursing, inform youth realistically about career paths, address working conditions, and ensure good employment terms. Policy makers, educators, and health systems should collaborate to enhance recruitment, career development, and retention.