International Journal of Nursing Research

Objective To understand the current level of self-directed learning ability (SDLA) among student nurses during clinical internship, analyze the differences in SDLA across general demographic variables, identify core influencing factors, and provide empirical evidence for nursing education institutions and teaching hospitals to optimize talent training programs. Methods By using convenient sampling, 402 student nurses interning at two Grade A tertiary hospitals in Weifang were selected as research subjects from October 2025 to December 2025. SPSS 28.0 statistical software was employed for descriptive statistics and difference analysis. Results The total score of SDLA among student nurses was 240.00 (198.00, 281.50) points, indicating an overall upper-middle level. Univariate analysis showed that educational background, personality type, degree of fondness for the nursing profession, quality of the relationship with clinical preceptors, richness of personal learning resources, and presence of independent learning experience significantly influenced the total SDLA score (P < 0.05), with statistical significance. Conclusion Nursing education institutions and teaching hospitals can improve student nurses' SDLA through targeted measures such as strengthening professional interest cultivation, enriching learning resource supply, optimizing clinical preceptorship relationships, and accumulating independent learning experiences, thereby laying a foundation for their sustainable professional development.

Nursing profession; Student nurses; Self-directed learning ability