Background With the intensifying global trend of population aging, the importance of geriatric nursing is becoming increasingly prominent. Understanding how nursing students develop professional identity within the context of geriatric care can help foster their interest and competence, thereby ensuring the quality of care services in an aging society. Aim This study aims to explore, from a life course perspective, the multiple factors that influence the formation of professional identity in geriatric nursing among nursing students. Methods An exploratory descriptive qualitative design was employed. Semistructured interviews were conducted with 16 undergraduate nursing students. Thematic analysis was used to identify key themes related to the formation of professional identity. Results Four main themes emerged from the data: (1) Early life experiences shaping emotional connection and basic impressions of older adults, (2) cognitive construction and challenges in geriatric nursing during education, (3) professional identity development and obstacles during clinical and volunteer experiences, and (4) realistic considerations and societal influences in career planning. Conclusion Nursing students’ professional identity is dynamically constructed through the interplay of multidimensional experiences over the life course. Enhancing early exposure, enriching educational content, strengthening clinical support, and optimizing the broader social environment are crucial to promoting positive identification with geriatric nursing and advancing the development of a specialized workforce in this field.
Chen et al. (Thu,) studied this question.