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BACKGROUND: While the use of mental health care services in the United States (US) has substantially increased in recent years, the US is experiencing a considerable nursing workforce crisis. METHOD: A quantitative exploratory design was used to evaluate pre-licensure student nurses' perceptions of barriers and facilitators to entering the psychiatric nursing field. A total of 326 students completed an anonymous questionnaire between 2023 and 2025. RESULTS: Approximately 66% of the sample reported that they would not choose psychiatric nursing after graduation. Barriers that prevented choosing this field included: "concern about safety in general," "fear of being assaulted by a patient," and "fear of psychiatric patients in general." Students mentioned safer clinical environments, improved staffing ratios, enhanced educational preparation, and expanded residency opportunities as potential facilitators. CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that targeted changes within nursing education and expanding clinical educational environments may help address misconceptions and improve students' perceptions of psychiatric nursing practice. Implications for nursing education, practice, and research are discussed.
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Oliveira et al. (2026) studied this question.
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