Impact of innovative education on the professionalism of undergraduate nursing students in China.

AIM: To explore the relationships among innovative atmosphere, innovative behavior, professional self-efficacy, professional identity, and professionalism of undergraduate nursing students in China. BACKGROUND: In lieu of the global shortage of nurses and low professional willingness of nursing students, innovative qualities are closely related to the professionalism of nurses. METHODS: The participants of this cross-sectional study consisted of 320 nursing students recruited from the Nursing College of a comprehensive university in Jiangsu Province, China who voluntarily completed an anonymous questionnaire from May to October 2019. Structural equation modeling analyses were performed. RESULTS: There was a positive correlation between all hypothetical pairwise variables (r = 0.496-0.795, p < 0.01). The final research model fits well. The results revealed that innovation atmosphere had a positive effect on innovative behavior and innovative behavior could affect nursing professionalism through self-efficacy and identity. CONCLUSION: Innovative education plays a very important role in the professionalism of undergraduate nursing students. Nursing educators can promote the development of professionalism in future nurses by fostering innovative behaviors.