Flourishing profiles and associated factors among undergraduate nursing interns: A cross-sectional study using latent profile analysis.

Background

As clinical nursing practice continues to evolve, undergraduate nursing interns face substantial psychological challenges during the transition from students to healthcare professionals. Flourishing, a key indicator of positive psychological functioning, encompasses positive emotion, engagement, relationships, meaning, accomplishment, and overall well-being. Despite growing interest in positive psychology within nursing education, the flourishing profiles of undergraduate nursing interns and the factors associated with these profiles remain insufficiently explored.

Aim

This study aimed to identify latent profiles of flourishing among undergraduate nursing interns and examine the factors associated with these profiles.

Design

A cross-sectional study using latent profile analysis.

Setting

The study was conducted across multiple universities and teaching hospitals in Zhejiang and Shanxi provinces, China.

Methods

Participants completed the PERMA-Profiler and a General Information Questionnaire. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was employed to identify distinct flourishing profiles. Univariate analyses and multinomial logistic regression were conducted to examine factors associated with profile membership.

Results

Latent profile analysis of 315 undergraduate nursing interns identified a three-profile solution comprising a low flourishing group (29.8%), a moderate flourishing group (54.0%), and a high flourishing group (16.2%). Multinomial logistic regression identified several factors significantly associated with flourishing profile membership, including family relationship quality, attention to job recruitment information, career planning, student leadership experience, and prior internal medicine internship experience.

Conclusion

Flourishing among undergraduate nursing interns is heterogeneous, and both individual and environmental factors are associated with profile membership. Nursing educators and managers may consider developing tailored training and intervention strategies based on these profile characteristics to enhance flourishing, promote positive psychological development, and strengthen interns' future clinical adaptability and career planning.