Introduction: Globally, the nursing workforce is crucial to the functioning of healthcare systems. The alarming shortage of nursing staff necessitates careful consideration of the challenging aspects related to this issue to develop successful strategies for attracting and retaining nurses. Objectives: This study aims to explore the motivational factors influencing the decision of students to choose a nursing career and the associated factors. Methods: In this cross-sectional research, a questionnaire was administered to 308 students studying nursing at the Higher Institute of Nursing Professions and Health Techniques. Results: The results of this study revealed several factors influencing the decision of nursing students to choose this profession. The desire to contribute to society and have a positive impact on individuals’ lives was identified as the primary motivating factor. Economic considerations also played a significant role. Additionally, it was found that the educational level of parents is a factor influencing students’ decisions. Conclusion: This study highlights the importance of various factors in the decision-making process of nursing students. By considering these results, policymakers and healthcare professionals can create an environment conducive to attracting and retaining future nurses.

Cutaneous Leishmaniasis (CL) is a neglected vector-borne disease that poses a serious health problem in many countries including Morocco. The present study aimed to determine the incidence and trend of CL from 2018 to 2022 and its forecast for 2024 -2026 in an endemic region of Morocco. The study also examined the association of various environmental, demographic, and socioeconomic factors with CL cases using ordinary least squares (OLS) regression. The Auto-Regressive Integrated Moving Average (ARIMA) model was applied to predict the number of new CL cases based on time-series data of monthly CL cases from January 2010 to December 2023. Over the 5-year study period, 2,713 cases of CL were reported, with an accumulated incidence rate of 859.44 cases per 100.000 inhabitants. The overall incidence rate decreased from 254.45 per 100,000 individuals in 2018 to 63.19 per 100,000 in 2022 with an average annual decrease rate of 23.77%. Interestingly, the disease was slightly more common in females and the age group of 0-5 years was the most affected. In this study, single lesions were more prominent (65%) and frequently affected facial parts (34%). In addition, the seasonal variation showed a peak incidence in winter. The OLS analysis revealed a significant correlation between vulnerability rate, population density, altitude, urbanization, and the number of cases. The results showed a decreasing trend in the forecasted numbers of CL cases with approximately 59 cases per year. These findings can be used by relevant authorities to develop effective interventions for the prevention and control of CL.

In order to stay up-to-date in the nursing field, nurses must pursue continuous education. This study examined nurses’ motivations to take part in continuing education activities by conducting a survey amongst a sample of nurses employed in two hospitals in south-east Morocco. The survey was carried out using a two-part self-administered questionnaire. Out of 144 nurses who received the questionnaire, 118 (84%) replied. The results showed that the majority of nurses have never participated in a continuing education session in the last 3 years. Respondents’ motivation for continuing education was mainly intrinsic, with the emphasis on factors related to professional competence and knowledge seeking. The use of such results can therefore be of great use to both managers and practitioners in planning continuing education programmes. However, it is desirable that more studies take place to investigate further the issue of continuing education with the aim of promoting and developing professional nursing skills.

The fear of being without a mobile phone, known as nomophobia, is a new psychological issue that has arisen with the widespread use of information and communication technologies. To understand this phenomenon, more research is needed. The present study aimed to assess the factor structure of the Moroccan dialect version of the Nomophobia Questionnaire (NMP-Q) among a sample of Moroccan university students. The study included 400 students selected by convenience sampling from two universities (Fez and Rabat). First, an Exploratory Factor Analysis (EFA) was conducted using the principal component method with Varimax rotation. Then, a Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), and Exploratory Structural Equation Modeling (ESEM) were carried out. The results showed that a 20-item, four-factor model was the best fit for the data collected from the sample, indicating cross-cultural validity and the robustness of the NMP-Q's structure. This suggests that the Moroccan version of the NMP-Q is useful for assessing nomophobia behavior among Moroccan university students.