Willingness to Own a Nurse-Led Private Business among Selected Undergraduate Nursing Students of a Nigerian University

Abstract

Background: Nurse-led entrepreneurship is increasingly recognised as a strategic approach for strengthening health systems, improving access to care, and expanding professional opportunities for nurses. Despite this growing interest, empirical evidence on the willingness of undergraduate nursing students to engage in private nurse-led health or non-health ventures after graduation remains limited. Aim: This study assessed the willingness of undergraduate nursing students in a Nigerian university to own a nurse-led private business after graduation. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional survey design was adopted. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire administered to 218 undergraduate nursing students, with a response rate of 94% (n = 204). Data analysis was conducted using the Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) version 25. Descriptive statistics (frequency, mean, percentage, and standard deviation) were used to address the study objectives, while an independent samples t-test was employed to test the study hypothesis at a 0.05 level of significance. Results: The respondents demonstrated an overall willingness to own nurse-led private businesses, with a grand mean score greater than 2.6. The most preferred business options were telehealth/virtual nursing services (3.13 ± 0.86), home healthcare agencies (3.09 ± 0.91), immunisation and vaccination services (3.00 ± 0.81), and maternal and child health centres (2.79 ± 0.91). Lower levels of willingness were observed for private hospital ownership (2.23 ± 0.94) and non-health-related businesses (1.78), with 79.9% of respondents indicating unwillingness to engage in non-health enterprises. The independent samples t-test (t(202) = 1.12, p = 0.264) revealed no statistically significant gender difference in willingness to own nurse-led private businesses. Conclusion: Undergraduate nursing students in a Nigerian university demonstrate a positive inclination toward nurse-led entrepreneurial ventures, particularly service-oriented nursing practices, while showing limited interest in hospital ownership and non-health-related businesses. Gender does not significantly influence this willingness. Recommendations: Nurse-led business management education should be systematically integrated across all levels of the nursing curriculum to position entrepreneurship and business ownership as viable and professional career pathways for nurses. Keywords: Business Ownership Willingness, Nurse-Led Businesses, Private Business, Undergraduate Nursing Students, A Nigerian University