Professional Identity, Self-Efficacy and Psychological Stress Among Nursing Interns: A Narrative Review

Clinical internship constitutes a critical transitional phase for nursing students, during which learners shift from classroom-centered theoretical knowledge to real-world patient-care environments. In this period, nursing interns continuously shape their professional identity, build clinical self-efficacy, and cope with various sources of psychological stress. This narrative review aims to summarize existing evidence regarding professional identity, self-efficacy, and perceived psychological stress among nursing interns, sort out their inter-relationships, and identify current research gaps for future educational intervention development. Literature was retrieved from PubMed, CINAHL and Scopus, focusing on peer-reviewed articles published between 2021 and 2025. Results showed that professional identity, self-efficacy and psychological stress are closely intertwined. Supportive clinical learning environments, high-quality preceptorship, and positive social-interpersonal resources can promote the formation of professional identity and self-efficacy while mitigating psychological stress. However, most existing studies adopt cross-sectional designs; longitudinal evidence tracking dynamic changes throughout internship remains limited. In conclusion, nursing educators and clinical managers should take a holistic perspective, integrating psychological support into clinical teaching, to facilitate adaptive role transition for nursing interns.