Comparative Comparison of Professional Identity in Nursing Students of Internship and Field Internship in Isfahan and Shahid Beheshti Universities of Medical Sciences in Tehran in 2023-2024

Abstract

Background: The nursing curriculum consists of two parts: theoretical and practical training (to acquire clinical skills). In fact, the ultimate goal of this curriculum is nothing more than creating the ability to provide basic care and correctly implement the nursing process. Methods: This is a one‑stage, four‑group cross-sectional study. The research sample consisted of 196 nursing students in the 7th and 8th semesters from the Faculties of Nursing and Midwifery of Isfahan and Shahid Beheshti (Tehran) who met the inclusion criteria and were selected using stratified random sampling. The research tools included a demographic information form and a Professional Identity Questionnaire for Nursing Students. Descriptive and inferential statistical tests were used to analyze the data. Findings: The research findings showed that the mean professional identity scores in the 7th semester for the internship and non‑internship groups did not differ significantly. However, in the 8th semester, the mean professional identity score of the internship group was significantly higher than that of the non‑internship group (P=0.03). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the internship training method in the final semesters can have a positive effect on the professional identity of nursing students. © 2026, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences(IUMS). All rights reserved.