BMC Nursing· 2026Q1
Latent profiles of professional identity among new nurses: associations with psychological detachment and secondary traumatic stress
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- Q1SCImago
- 2026year
Short summary
Three latent profiles of professional identity were identified among 306 new nurses: High Identity Stable (23.53%), Moderate Identity Normative (44.12%), and Low Identity Negative (32.35%), with the latter two profiles exhibiting significantly lower psychological detachment and higher secondary traumatic stress.
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Key points
- Three latent profiles of professional identity were identified in 306 new nurses: High Identity Stable (23.53%), Moderate Identity Normative (44.12%), and Low Identity Negative (32.35%).
- Nurses in the Moderate and Low Identity profiles showed significantly lower psychological detachment (PD) and higher secondary traumatic stress (STS) than those in the High Identity profile (P < 0.001).
- The Low Identity Negative profile also had lower PD and higher STS compared to the Moderate Identity Normative profile (P < 0.001).
- Professional identity differences were primarily quantitative in overall level across the identified profiles.
AI-generated from the title and abstract; the full text is not read.
Abstract
New nurses often experience psychological adjustment difficulties during the transition to clinical practice, making the development of professional identity particularly challenging. Guided by the Conservation of Resources (COR) theory, this study aimed to identify latent profiles of professional identity and examine the associations of psychological detachment (PD) and secondary traumatic stress (STS) with profile membership. A multicenter cross-sectional study was conducted among 306 new nurses with ≤ 2 years of clinical experience from 10 hospitals across 4 provinces and municipalities in China. Latent profile analysis (LPA) was used to identify professional identity profiles. Spearman correlation, univariate analysis, and multinomial logistic regression were performed to examine the associations of PD and STS with profile membership. Three latent profiles were identified: High Identity Stable (23.53%), Moderate Identity Normative (44.12%), and Low Identity Negative (32.35%). The profiles primarily differed in the overall level of professional identity, with broadly similar patterns across the five dimensions. Compared with the High Identity Stable profile, both the Moderate Identity Normative and Low Identity Negative profiles had lower psychological detachment and higher secondary traumatic stress (all P < 0.001). The Low Identity Negative profile also showed lower psychological detachment and higher secondary traumatic stress than the Moderate Identity Normative profile (both P < 0.001). Professional identity among new nurses showed primarily quantitative differences in overall level across three latent profiles. Psychological detachment and secondary traumatic stress were important psychological factors associated with profile membership. These findings highlight the potential relevance of psychological resource-oriented support for professional adaptation among new nurses.
The authors' abstract, as published at the source. BMC Nursing, 2026 · DOI ↗
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Leadership and ManagementNursing