“I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options

John Goodwin; Rachel Gough; Jan Cattoni; Ciara Chambers; Sinead Cronin; Clare Crowley; Margaret Curtin; Caroline Dalton; Marie-Therese Keating; Patricia Leahy-Warren; Anne-Marie Martin; Geraldine McLoughlin; Margaret Murphy; Brendan Noonan; Niamh O’Brien; Cora O’Leary; Maria O’Malley; Vera J C McCarthy

doi:10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944

“I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options

Central Queensland University
Cork/Kerry Community Healthcare
South East Technological University

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background
In recent years, globally, there has been a decline in interest amongst young people in pursuing careers in nursing and midwifery. Consequently, there is a need to develop age-appropriate interventions to promote nursing and midwifery. Considering that film is an acceptable intervention amongst young people and can be successfully implemented within the secondary school environment, the aim of this study was to develop a short film to promote the professions of nursing and midwifery and to evaluate its effectiveness amongst young people.

Methods
This study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design that included a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. Senior second level students were recruited, and invited to watch a short film, Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You?, developed by the research team. Participants completed an online survey on attitudes to nursing and midwifery and participated in an online 1:1 interview. Survey data were analysed using SPSS (descriptive and inferential statistics); qualitative data were analysed using content analysis.

Results
A total of 509 participants completed the online survey at both the pre- and posttest stages. Attitudes toward nursing and midwifery improved significantly, with the mean score increasing by 1.43 points [(95% CI -2.38, -0.50) p < 0.01]. Posttest results also showed a slight statistically insignificant rise in interest in pursuing nursing (3%) and midwifery (1.6%) as a career. Eight participants took part in interviews, from which three main categories were identified: Perceptions of Nursing and Midwifery, The Impact of the Short Film Intervention, and Suggestions for Promoting Nursing and Midwifery to Young People.

Conclusion
Film-based interventions such as Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You? should be made available to schools for teachers and guidance counsellors to use. More opportunities need to be provided for adolescents to get “hands on” experience of nursing and midwifery.

Original language	English
Article number	101944
Journal	Next Research
Volume	10
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944
Publication status	Published - 28 May 2026

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 3 Good Health and Well-being

Keywords

career development
film-based interventions
media
midwifery
nursing
recruitment
short films

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10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944

Cite this

Goodwin, J., Gough, R., Cattoni, J., Chambers, C., Cronin, S., Crowley, C., Curtin, M., Dalton, C., Keating, M.-T., Leahy-Warren, P., Martin, A.-M., McLoughlin, G., Murphy, M., Noonan, B., O’Brien, N., O’Leary, C., O’Malley, M., & McCarthy, V. J. C. (2026). “I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options. Next Research, 10, Article 101944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944

@article{1f489ba5145745219b05ace4e8406c48,

title = "“I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options",

abstract = "Background In recent years, globally, there has been a decline in interest amongst young people in pursuing careers in nursing and midwifery. Consequently, there is a need to develop age-appropriate interventions to promote nursing and midwifery. Considering that film is an acceptable intervention amongst young people and can be successfully implemented within the secondary school environment, the aim of this study was to develop a short film to promote the professions of nursing and midwifery and to evaluate its effectiveness amongst young people. Methods This study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design that included a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. Senior second level students were recruited, and invited to watch a short film, Nursing \& Midwifery: A Career for You?, developed by the research team. Participants completed an online survey on attitudes to nursing and midwifery and participated in an online 1:1 interview. Survey data were analysed using SPSS (descriptive and inferential statistics); qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results A total of 509 participants completed the online survey at both the pre- and posttest stages. Attitudes toward nursing and midwifery improved significantly, with the mean score increasing by 1.43 points [(95\% CI -2.38, -0.50) p < 0.01]. Posttest results also showed a slight statistically insignificant rise in interest in pursuing nursing (3\%) and midwifery (1.6\%) as a career. Eight participants took part in interviews, from which three main categories were identified: Perceptions of Nursing and Midwifery, The Impact of the Short Film Intervention, and Suggestions for Promoting Nursing and Midwifery to Young People. Conclusion Film-based interventions such as Nursing \& Midwifery: A Career for You? should be made available to schools for teachers and guidance counsellors to use. More opportunities need to be provided for adolescents to get “hands on” experience of nursing and midwifery. ",

keywords = "career development, film-based interventions, media, midwifery, nursing, recruitment, short films",

author = "John Goodwin and Rachel Gough and Jan Cattoni and Ciara Chambers and Sinead Cronin and Clare Crowley and Margaret Curtin and Caroline Dalton and Marie-Therese Keating and Patricia Leahy-Warren and Anne-Marie Martin and Geraldine McLoughlin and Margaret Murphy and Brendan Noonan and Niamh O{\textquoteright}Brien and Cora O{\textquoteright}Leary and Maria O{\textquoteright}Malley and McCarthy, \{Vera J C\}",

year = "2026",

month = may,

day = "28",

doi = "10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944",

language = "English",

volume = "10",

journal = "Next Research",

issn = "3050-4759",

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Goodwin, J, Gough, R, Cattoni, J, Chambers, C, Cronin, S, Crowley, C , Curtin, M , Dalton, C, Keating, M-T, Leahy-Warren, P , Martin, A-M , McLoughlin, G , Murphy, M , Noonan, B, O’Brien, N, O’Leary, C , O’Malley, M & McCarthy, VJC 2026, '“I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options', Next Research, vol. 10, 101944. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944

TY - JOUR

T1 - “I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options

AU - Goodwin, John

AU - Gough, Rachel

AU - Cattoni, Jan

AU - Chambers, Ciara

AU - Cronin, Sinead

AU - Crowley, Clare

AU - Curtin, Margaret

AU - Dalton, Caroline

AU - Keating, Marie-Therese

AU - Leahy-Warren, Patricia

AU - Martin, Anne-Marie

AU - McLoughlin, Geraldine

AU - Murphy, Margaret

AU - Noonan, Brendan

AU - O’Brien, Niamh

AU - O’Leary, Cora

AU - O’Malley, Maria

AU - McCarthy, Vera J C

PY - 2026/5/28

Y1 - 2026/5/28

N2 - Background In recent years, globally, there has been a decline in interest amongst young people in pursuing careers in nursing and midwifery. Consequently, there is a need to develop age-appropriate interventions to promote nursing and midwifery. Considering that film is an acceptable intervention amongst young people and can be successfully implemented within the secondary school environment, the aim of this study was to develop a short film to promote the professions of nursing and midwifery and to evaluate its effectiveness amongst young people. Methods This study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design that included a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. Senior second level students were recruited, and invited to watch a short film, Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You?, developed by the research team. Participants completed an online survey on attitudes to nursing and midwifery and participated in an online 1:1 interview. Survey data were analysed using SPSS (descriptive and inferential statistics); qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results A total of 509 participants completed the online survey at both the pre- and posttest stages. Attitudes toward nursing and midwifery improved significantly, with the mean score increasing by 1.43 points [(95% CI -2.38, -0.50) p < 0.01]. Posttest results also showed a slight statistically insignificant rise in interest in pursuing nursing (3%) and midwifery (1.6%) as a career. Eight participants took part in interviews, from which three main categories were identified: Perceptions of Nursing and Midwifery, The Impact of the Short Film Intervention, and Suggestions for Promoting Nursing and Midwifery to Young People. Conclusion Film-based interventions such as Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You? should be made available to schools for teachers and guidance counsellors to use. More opportunities need to be provided for adolescents to get “hands on” experience of nursing and midwifery.

AB - Background In recent years, globally, there has been a decline in interest amongst young people in pursuing careers in nursing and midwifery. Consequently, there is a need to develop age-appropriate interventions to promote nursing and midwifery. Considering that film is an acceptable intervention amongst young people and can be successfully implemented within the secondary school environment, the aim of this study was to develop a short film to promote the professions of nursing and midwifery and to evaluate its effectiveness amongst young people. Methods This study adopted an explanatory sequential mixed methods design that included a quantitative phase followed by a qualitative phase. Senior second level students were recruited, and invited to watch a short film, Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You?, developed by the research team. Participants completed an online survey on attitudes to nursing and midwifery and participated in an online 1:1 interview. Survey data were analysed using SPSS (descriptive and inferential statistics); qualitative data were analysed using content analysis. Results A total of 509 participants completed the online survey at both the pre- and posttest stages. Attitudes toward nursing and midwifery improved significantly, with the mean score increasing by 1.43 points [(95% CI -2.38, -0.50) p < 0.01]. Posttest results also showed a slight statistically insignificant rise in interest in pursuing nursing (3%) and midwifery (1.6%) as a career. Eight participants took part in interviews, from which three main categories were identified: Perceptions of Nursing and Midwifery, The Impact of the Short Film Intervention, and Suggestions for Promoting Nursing and Midwifery to Young People. Conclusion Film-based interventions such as Nursing & Midwifery: A Career for You? should be made available to schools for teachers and guidance counsellors to use. More opportunities need to be provided for adolescents to get “hands on” experience of nursing and midwifery.

KW - career development

KW - film-based interventions

KW - media

KW - midwifery

KW - nursing

KW - recruitment

KW - short films

U2 - 10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944

DO - 10.1016/j.nexres.2026.101944

M3 - Article

SN - 3050-4759

VL - 10

JO - Next Research

JF - Next Research

M1 - 101944

ER -

“I got a completely new perspective about how they do their jobs”: A mixed methods evaluation of a short film to promote nursing and midwifery as career options

Abstract

UN SDGs

Keywords

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