Abstract: Objective To investigate the status quo of career planning of undergraduate nurses in Northwest China, and to analyze its influence factors. Methods With convenience sampling, 2,704 undergraduates from 14 tertiary grade A/B hospitals in five provinces in Northwest China (Shanxi, Gansu, Ningxia, Qinghai, and Xinjiang) were selected as the research objects and surveyed by using general information questionnaire, Career Planning Scale and Career Management Scale. Hierarchical regression was used to analyze the influence factors of career planning. Results The total score of career planning of undergraduate nurses was 37.96±8.71. Hierarchical regression analysis showed that professional title, job position and willingness, and specialist nurse certificate had an impact on career planning.Fair promotion and promotion of career development exerted influence on career planning of undergraduate nurses, independently explaining 36.2% of the variation. Conclusion The career planning of full-time undergraduate nurses in Northwest China is at a middle level. Great importance should be attached to nurses with junior professional title, those without consistency between work position and willingness, and those without nurse specialist certificate. Nursing managers need to promote the fairness of promotion and encourage nurses to show their initiative, interests and competence. The match of the interests and abilities with the positions and development space and professional potential would benefit the realization of individual self-worth.

Key words: undergraduate degree, nurse, career planning, career management