Abstract:

Objective To explore the change trajectory of transition shock among undergraduate nursing interns and the influence of self-regulated learning ability in clinical practice. Methods Undergraduate nursing students undergoing their first clinical internship were recruited from August 2024 to March 2025. Data were collected at three time points（early stage，mid stage，and late stage of internship） with three-month intervals using the General Information Questionnaire，Chinese version of the Transition Shock Evaluation Scale for Nursing Undergraduate Interns，Chinese version of the Self-Regulated Learning Scale in Clinical Nursing Practice，and Proactive Personality Scale. Latent growth model was employed for data analysis. Results Transition shock of undergraduate nursing interns demonstrated a significant linear upward trajectory across the three measurements time points（intercept=44.726，P<0.001；slope=0.762，P<0.001）. After controlling for proactive personality，the inclusion of self-regulated learning ability in clinical nursing practice as a time-varying covariate revealed its consistent negative predictive effects on transition shock across all three internship phases（P<0.001）. Conclusion Transition shock progressively intensifies during clinical internships，while self-regulated learning ability in clinical practice serves as an inhibiting factor in this developmental process. Nursing educators should implement multifaceted strategies to enhance undergraduates’ self-regulated learning ability in clinical settings，thereby mitigating transition shock and optimizing clinical performance.

Key words: Transition Shock, Change Trajectory, Undergraduate Nursing Interns, Self-regulated Learning, Latent Growth Model