Objective: This study explores how perceived social support
influences resilience among nursing students and the mediating role of
general self-efficacy, along with the moderating impact of professional
identity. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with
1377 nursing students in Zhuhai, China, from March to May 2022, using
stratified random sampling. Correlation analysis, cascade regression,
and bias-corrected bootstrap methods were employed to assess the
relationships between perceived social support, general self-efficacy,
professional identity, and resilience. Results: Nursing
students’ perceived social support significantly predicted general
self-efficacy ( β =0.384, p<0.001) and resilience ( β =0.603,
p<0.001). General self-efficacy acted as a “bridge” between
perceived social support and resilience ( β =0.298, p<0.001),
and professional identity moderated the relationship between general
self-efficacy and resilience ( β =0.128, p<0.001).
Conclusion: Collaboration among schools, families, and society
is essential to provide social support for nursing students, fostering
their resilience. Nurse educators can play a pivotal role in fostering
nursing students’ professional identity by cultivating their emotional
connection to the profession and augmenting their understanding of the
multifaceted nature of nursing practice, ultimately enhancing their
resilience.