The association of faculty-student interaction, psychological well-being, and the image of nurses of nursing students on nursing professionalism in the COVID-19 pandemic

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the association of faculty-student interaction, psychological well-being, and the image of nurses with nursing professionalism in the COVID-19 pandemic situation. Methods: The participants of the study were 243 nursing college students located in Daegu, Kyungpook. Data collection was performed between August 11 and 20, 2021. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, independent t-test, ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression using the IBM SPSS 21.0 program. Results: The multiple regression showed that nursing professionalism was associated with a positive image of nurses (β=.71, p<.001) and higher faculty-student interaction (β=.11, p=.023). Additionally, a negative impression about nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic was negatively associated with nursing professionalism (β=-.12, p=.003). The explanatory power of the factors was 67 percent of the total variances on nursing professionalism; however, psychological well-being was not an associated factor. Conclusion: This study suggested that, to improve nursing student's nursing professionalism in the COVID-19 pandemic situation, nursing colleges should systemize curricular and non-curricular programs to improve awareness of nurses' efforts and faculty-student interaction.