Factors Influencing Nursing Students’ Attitudes and Career Interests in Mental Health Nursing - An Integrative Review

BackgroundMental health nurses represent only 1.03% of the global nursing workforce, contributing to persistent workforce shortages. Undergraduate nursing students demonstrate limited interest in mental health nursing (MHN), often associated with negative attitudes toward MHN and individuals with mental illness. Understanding factors influencing these attitudes and career intentions is essential to inform targeted educational interventions.ObjectivesThis integrative review aimed to identify factors influencing undergraduate nursing students' attitudes and career interest in MHN and evaluate the impact of MHN education on these outcomes.MethodsGuided by Whittemore and Knafl's framework, a rapid integrative review was conducted across CINAHL, EMBASE, ScienceDirect, PubMed, and PsycINFO for English-language studies published between 2000 and October 2025. Of 362 records identified, 113 underwent screening, and 22 met inclusion criteria following full-text review. Quality appraisal employed CASP and JBI tools. Data were analyzed using constant comparison, with findings organized into structured matrices.ResultsFour themes emerged: (1) attitudes toward MHN varied widely, with more negative perceptions among first-year students; (2) overall career interest in MHN remained low to neutral; (3) influencing factors included attitudes toward mental illness, clinical exposure, and perceived preparedness; (4) MHN education improved attitudes but did not significantly increase career interest.ConclusionsAlthough MHN education enhances attitudes, it does not translate into increased career interest. Strategies such as extended clinical placements, lived-experience education, problem-based learning, and simulation may improve interest. Further rigorous research, including randomized controlled trials, is required to establish causality and inform workforce development strategies.