Relationship between nursing students' perceptions of clinical instructor caring and their professional behaviors.

PURPOSE: To examine the relationship between nursing students' perceptions of clinical instructor caring and their professional behaviors. METHOD: This study used a descriptive and cross-sectional design. The data were analyzed with Pearson's correlation and Linear regression analyses. RESULTS: The professional behaviors of nursing students were found to increase their desire to become a nurse in the future with "instills confidence through caring" and "supportive learning climate" subscales but to decrease their desire to be an academician in the future. CONCLUSION: As students' perceptions of clinical instructor caring increased, their status of applying professional behaviors was found to increase, as well. PRACTICAL IMPLICATION: Descriptive characteristics and clinical instructor caring are related to high professional behaviors in nursing students.