Digital professionalism and professional identity formation in undergraduate nursing students: A scoping review.
TL;DR
Digital professionalism poses both challenges and opportunities for the professional identity formation of undergraduate nursing students when embedded in intentional pedagogical frameworks and adaptive institutional policies, digital environments become active sites for professional socialization and identity growth.
Abstract
Background
Digital professionalism has become increasingly relevant to nursing education as students engage with social media, generative artificial intelligence, and online platforms. However, the relationship between digital professionalism and professional identity formation among undergraduate nursing students remains conceptually fragmented and has not been comprehensively mapped.
Objectives
To map and synthesize the existing evidence on the relationship between digital professionalism and professional identity formation among undergraduate nursing students within nursing education settings.
Design
A scoping review guided by the Joanna Briggs Institute (JBI) methodology, reported according to the PRISMA-ScR guidelines. DATA SOURCES MEDLINE (PubMed), CINAHL (EBSCO), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, Google Scholar, and ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global were searched for studies published between January 2016 and March 2026. REVIEW
Methods
Two reviewers independently screened and extracted data using the Population, Concept, Context framework. Findings were synthesized using thematic analysis.
Results
Eighteen studies were included. Two themes were identified. Challenges included foundational structural gaps, blurred personal-professional boundaries, and intensifying issues related to Generation Z learners, influencer culture, and generative artificial intelligence. Opportunities demonstrated that guided digital engagement through social media initiatives, targeted digital pedagogy, virtual simulation, and critically informed influencer interactions can foster professional socialization, advocacy, belonging, and accountability.
Conclusions
Digital professionalism poses both challenges and opportunities for the professional identity formation of undergraduate nursing students. Without structured guidance and governance, digital engagement can fragment identity development. However, when embedded in intentional pedagogical frameworks and adaptive institutional policies, digital environments become active sites for professional socialization and identity growth. Nursing education must treat digital professionalism as a core, evolving competency integrated throughout the curriculum.