Perceptions and Identity in Nursing Education

Perceptions and identity in nursing education encompass the ways in which prospective and practising nurses view their profession, understand their role within healthcare and construct a professional self-concept through formal learning and clinical experience. This field examines how cultural stereotypes, media representations and societal attitudes influence students’ choices to enter nursing, their motivation during training and their sense of belonging within multidisciplinary teams. Central to this discourse is the formation of professional identity, which integrates personal values, evidence-based practice and ethical standards. Educational strategies such as simulation, mentorship and reflective practice serve to align students’ self-image with the competencies expected in contemporary healthcare. By illuminating the dynamic interplay between external perceptions and internal identity formation, researchers address recruitment challenges, retention rates and the quality of patient care globally. This overview underscores the imperative of fostering a positive image of nursing within curricula and the wider community to support a resilient and competent workforce.

Research from Nature Portfolio

No recent Nature Portfolio content available.

Perceptions and Identity in Nursing Education publication trend

The graph below shows the total number of articles in perceptions and identity in nursing education across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).

Technical terms

Professional identity: The internalised sense of oneself as a member of the nursing profession, shaped by education, socialisation and clinical practice.

Perception: The process by which individuals and groups form impressions and attitudes towards the nursing profession and its social roles.

Self-image: The subjective view that nurses and students hold of their own capabilities, values and status within healthcare environments.

Competence: The combination of skills, knowledge and attitudes required for effective nursing practice, often structured within formal frameworks.

References

1. Nurses’ and nursing students’ reasons for entering the profession: content analysis of open-ended questions. BMC Nursing (2023).
2. Perceived images and expected roles of Indonesian nurses. Nursing Open (2018).
3. Public Perceptions and Attitudes on the Image of Nursing in the Wake of COVID-19. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2023).
4. Current Social Perception of and Value Attached to Nursing Professionals’ Competences: An Integrative Review. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health (2022).