Background: Satisfaction with the field of study can be the source of motivation and the continuation of academic progress. This study aimed to review the Iranian nursing students satisfaction with their field of study and its related factors.
Materials and Methods: In this review, an online search of databases included Medline, ERIC, PsycINFO, Web of Science, Scopus, and Google Scholar search engine up to March 2023. Two independent authors undertook the screening, selection, and quality assessment.
Results: Finally, six related studies were included. The results showed that the mean satisfaction of students toward their field of study was 20.77 ± 3.17 (out of 35), and toward their future career was 17.84 ± 2.63 (out of 30), respectively. The most effective factors in academic dissatisfaction were discrimination between nursing and medical students, physician prioritization, and a lack of proper presentation of the nursing field before entering university. In addition, 83.3% of students had little satisfaction with the educational environment, 47.2% were dissatisfied with the clinical environment, 41.7% were unsatisfied with the theoretical educational method by professors, 41.7% were dissatisfied with the method of clinical education by clinical trainers, 47.2% were not satisfied with the method of evaluation by professors, and 62.5% were dissatisfied with the nursing social image. A weak, positive, and statistically significant correlation was found between satisfaction with the field of study and the total score of clinical competence, as well as between gender and the attitude of discipline (p<0.05).
Conclusion: Approximately half of the students reported a low level of satisfaction with the nursing field. Increasing the quality of theoretical education, improving clinical and evaluation processes, enhancing interactions, and elevating social prestige are important for promoting the quality of education.