Employers' Perceptions of the Desirable Characteristics of Nursing Graduates: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

This qualitative study aimed to explore and describe the desirable characteristics of nursing graduates as perceived by employers. Data were collected through semi-structured in-depth interviews with 10 key informants, comprising head nurses, deputy head nurses, and senior registered nurses with more than five years of work experience from diverse clinical settings. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. The eight-domain competency framework of the Thailand Nursing and Midwifery Council (2018) served as the primary guide for developing interview questions while remaining open to the discovery of themes beyond the established framework. The interview guide was validated for content validity by three expert reviewers (IOC ≥ 0.67) and pilot-tested with three registered nurses. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis, and trustworthiness was ensured through triangulation, member checking, and peer debriefing.

               The findings revealed 10 major themes of desirable nursing graduates' characteristics. Eight themes were consistent with the competency framework confirming that the established framework remains relevant and reflects the actual needs of employers. Additionally, two emergent themes were identified beyond the original framework: mental resilience, reflecting employers' concerns about the decreasing stress tolerance among new-generation graduates; and career commitment, reflecting the workforce retention crisis that employers are currently facing. These findings are consistent with existing research demonstrating that resilience and professional identity are negatively associated with turnover intention. The 10 themes are interconnected as an integrated system, in which ethics serves as the foundation, clinical practice skills form the core, professional attributes act as the binding element, and mental resilience together with career commitment constitute the conditions for sustainability.

               The findings can be used as a basis for defining Expected Learning Outcomes (ELOs) for the Bachelor of Nursing Science curriculum and as foundational data for developing quantitative research instruments in the subsequent phase.