AimTo explore the experiences of undergraduate nursing students in navigating daily micro-transitions between nursing and non-nursing roles. BackgroundNursing students develop professional role identity through socialization, experience and practice while simultaneously managing pre-existing personal roles. This dynamic creates a training ground for future sustainable practice. DesignQualitative, cross-sectional, interpretive phenomenological design with hermeneutics. MethodsSeventeen undergraduate nursing students participated online in semi-structured, audiovisual-recorded interviews until data saturation was reached. The primary investigator conducted manual transcription of each recording. ResultsThree main themes emerged: 1) Strategies for Getting In and Out of Nurse Mode, 2) Cultivating Mindful Nursing Practice; and 3) Nursing Student Socialization and Immersion. Findings indicated that nursing students saw instant benefits in their personal and professional lives as they developed this skill. Findings also suggested that nursing students need support from their educators to ensure they are not trapped in nurse mode while they learn to navigate nurse role identity. ConclusionsUnderstanding and supporting nursing students in managing role micro-transitions are crucial for development. Application of educational strategies and support systems in this area can immediately enhance nursing professional quality of life and quality of nursing practice.