Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify the factors affecting graduate nurses’ intention to care for emerginginfectious disease patients based on the theory of rational action. Methods: The participants were 127 graduatenurses who had graduated from in Gyeongsangbuk Province. Data were collected from March 25 to April 1, 2022. Descriptive statistics, the t-test, analysis of variance, the Scheffé test, Pearson correlation coefficients, andstepwise multiple regression analysis were used for data analysis. Results: The mean scores for attitudes,subjective norms, and nursing intention for patients with emerging infectious diseases were 30.60±5.49, 30.17±6.38, and 69.19±8.97, respectively. Nursing intention was significantly different according to major satisfaction(t=-3.02, p=.003) and the presence of medical personnel in the family (t=2.30, p=.023). Nursing intention had asignificant positive correlation with attitudes (r=.44, p<.001) and subjective norms (r=.37, p<.001). The variablesthat significantly affected nursing intention were attitudes (β=.42, p<.001), satisfaction with the nursing major(β=.21, p=.008), and the presence of medical personnel in the family (β=.17, p=.026), with a total explanatory powerof approximately 26%. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that the development and application ofprograms on positively changing attitudes toward patients with emerging infectious diseases and increasingsatisfaction with the nursing major are needed.