Iranian nursing students' perspectives on transition to professional identity: a qualitative study.

Abstract

To explore Iranian nursing students' transition to professional identity. Professional identity is an important outcome of nursing education that has not been fully explored in the Iranian nursing education system. Professional identity is a significant factor influencing the development of nursing education and practice. The transition of nursing students to professional identity is the main concern of nursing education and fundamental prerequisite for policymaking and planning in the field of nursing education. This was a qualitative content analysis study. In-depth unstructured interviews were held with 35 Iranian bachelor's degree nursing students recruited through purposive sampling. The interviews were transcribed verbatim and analysed using content analysis. The data analysis led to the development of four themes and 15 categories: 'satisfaction with professional practice (attending clinical settings and communicating with patients, the feeling of being beneficial)'; 'personal development (growing interest in nursing, feeling competent in helping others, changing character and attitude shift towards patients)'; 'professional development (realizing the importance of nursing knowledge, appreciating professional roles, a changing their understanding of nursing and the meaning it)'; and 'attaining professional commitment (a tendency to present oneself as a nurse, attempting to change oneself, other students and the public image of nursing)'. Development of professional identity is a continual process of transition. The greatest transition occurred in the last year of the programme. Nursing students experienced transition to PI through gaining satisfaction with professional practice, undergoing personal and professional development and developing a professional commitment. Educational policymakers can use our findings for developing strategies that facilitate and support nursing students' transition to professional identity.