We are now in the 21st century and each organisation is forced to be on the move and be dynamic, and this depends on the motivation of those working in the organisation in question. In any profession, and nursing is no exception, motivation at work is immediately reflected in everyone´s performance at work. The aim of this thesis was to chart the work motivation factors which support the decision to follow a nursing career and to map the use of motivational programmes by hospital management. Five hypotheses were established on the basis of these aims. Hypothesis 1: General nurses are motivated to pursue their career; this hypothesis was confirmed, as more than half of all nurses are satisfied with thein current positions and do not plan to leave their jobs within the next six years. Hypothesis 2: The main motivational factor to pursue a nursing career is salary assessment. This hypothesis was confirmed. This factor ranked sekond out of a total of sixteen. Hypothesis 3: For general nurses the prestige of the jo bis a motivational factor. This hypothesis was refuted; this factor ranked as the thirteenth most important. Hypothesis 4: General nurses see the possibility of further education as a motivational factor. This hypothesis was confirmed. 89 % of those questioned see this as a very important factor. Hypothesis 5: Hospitals have elaborated motivational programmes. This hypothesis was refuted. A qualitative examination of each of the interviews showed that the hospitals in question do not have motivational programmes. For the top management of hospitals these results can serve as impetus to implement new motivational programmes or procedures for assessing work performance and the effectiveness of educational activities in places where they are not yet in place.

El objetivo de la presente investigación fue determinar la relación entre el autoconcepto y las motivaciones ocupacionales en estudiantes universitarios de Barranca. La muestra estuvo conformada por 343 estudiantes con edades comprendidas entre 18 a 23 años (M= 20, DE=1.21), de los cuales el 63.8% son mujeres. La investigación es de carácter cuantitativo y de diseño metodológico descriptivo-correlacional no experimental. Los instrumentos aplicados fueron la Escala de Autoconcepto Forma 5 de Bustos, Oliver & Galiana (2015), y la Escala de Motivaciones Ocupacionales de Ramos (2013). Entre los principales resultados se halló que existe una relación estadísticamente significativa entre dos dimensiones de la motivación: Desarrollo y gratificación y Realización y autonomía con la dimensión académica del autoconcepto (rs=.21 y rs=.28). Esto llevó a concluir que a mayor valoración de la capacidad académica, existiría mayor motivación para elegir una carrera u ocupación que le brinde al estudiante satisfacción personal y que a su vez le permita aportar y servir a su comunidad. / The goal of this research was to determine the relationship between self-concept and occupational motivations in university students from Barranca. The sample consisted of 343 students aged between 18 to 23 years (M= 20, SD = 1.21), of which 63.8% are women. The research is quantitative in nature and has a non-experimental descriptive-correlational methodological design. The instruments applied were the Form 5 Self-Concept by Ramos (2013). Among the main results, it was found that there is a statistically significant relationship between two dimensions of motivation: Development and gratification and Achievement and autonomy with the academic dimension of self-concept (rs=.21 y rs=.28). This led to conclude that a higher valuation of academic ability, there would be greater motivation to choose a career or occupation that gives the student personal satisfaction and that in turn allows him to contribute and serve his community. / Tesis