Professional Identity Development in Nursing Education

Professional identity in nursing education encompasses the evolving self‐image of students as they internalise the values, norms and responsibilities of the nursing profession. This development is shaped by a combination of theoretical instruction, clinical practice and reflective activities that foster critical thinking, ethical judgement and a sense of belonging. Educators and clinical supervisors serve as role models, exemplifying standards of practice and enabling students to reconcile academic knowledge with patient care. Structured mentorship, interprofessional collaboration and simulation exercises further reinforce identity formation by allowing learners to experiment with professional roles in safe environments. Across diverse settings, from high‐resource urban centres to low‐resource rural clinics, a coherent curriculum that integrates psychosocial support, feedback mechanisms and opportunities for leadership encourages resilience and a strong commitment to nursing values. Ultimately, a robust professional identity underpins lifelong learning, enhances patient safety and supports workforce retention on a global scale.

Research from Nature Portfolio

Recent studies have examined how nursing students’ perceptions of clinical risk influence their commitment to the profession under pandemic conditions. One cross‐sectional investigation demonstrated that heightened risk perception was associated with greater professional commitment, with negative emotions partially mediating this relationship. Importantly, psychological capital—comprising optimism, hope, self‐efficacy and resilience—was found to cushion the impact of risk‐induced emotions, thereby sustaining professional dedication. These findings suggest that multi‐dimensional interventions targeting emotional regulation and the cultivation of psychological capital may be critical in reinforcing professional identity during periods of heightened clinical stress.

Professional Identity Development in Nursing Education publication trend

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

Technical terms

Professional identity: The self‐concept and internalised values that guide an individual’s behaviours and decision‐making within the nursing profession.

Psychological capital: A positive psychological state characterised by hope, efficacy, resilience and optimism, which supports coping and performance in challenging contexts.

Self‐efficacy: An individual’s belief in their capability to execute tasks and manage prospective situations, influencing motivation and perseverance.

Resilience: The capacity to recover from adversity, adapt to change and maintain psychological well‐being in the face of stressors.

References

1. Nursing students’ professional identity development: An integrative review. Nordic Journal of Nursing Research (2021).
2. How nursing students’ risk perception affected their professional commitment during the COVID-19 pandemic: the mediating effects of negative emotions and moderating effects of psychological capital. Humanities and Social Sciences Communications (2023).
3. Understanding and barriers of professional identity formation among current students and recent graduates in nursing and midwifery in low resource settings in two universities: a qualitative study. BMC Nursing (2024).
4. Association between proactive personality and professional identity of nursing undergraduates: The mediating role of resilience and irrational belief. Nurse Education in Practice (2023).
5. Perceived social support and professional identity in nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic era: the mediating effects of self-efficacy and the moderating role of anxiety. BMC Medical Education (2023).