Contemporary Nursing

Objective To investigate the current status of professional identity among undergraduate nursing interns during the early stages of their internship, analyze influencing factors, and provide a reference for educational management institutions to reduce the risk of nursing student attrition and stabilize the nursing workforce. Methods A total of 291 undergraduate nursing interns in the early phase of their internship (≤3 months) from July to October 2023 were enrolled in this study. Data were collected via an online questionnaire, and professional identity was assessed using the Nursing Students Professional Identity Questionnaire. Statistical analyses, including ANOVA and multiple stepwise regression, were performed. Results The early career identity of nursing undergraduate interns was rated at 62.06±14.57, indicating a moderately high level. Nine factors, including participation in nursing-related social practice, parents support attitude and overall satisfaction with internship, had a statistically significant effect on the early career identity of nursing undergraduate interns (P<0.05). Conclusion The professional identity of undergraduate nursing interns in the early internship stage still requires improvement. Key influencing factors include Whether they have participated in nursing-related social practice, their parents attitude of support, their relationship with the instructor, the degree of hospital support, and their overall satisfaction with the internship are the factors that affect the professional identity of nursing students, which provides new ideas for later intervention research.

Undergraduate nursing students; Early internship; Professional identity; Influencing factors