Aim To assess the influence of professional identity on work engagement among nurses working in nursing homes in China. Background China is faced with an increasingly ageing population. There is a shortage of adequately trained nursing personnel and a high turnover rate among nurses. Work engagement is a key factor in improving nurses' performance and improving professional identity is critical to increase work productivity and satisfaction. Methods We conducted a cross‐sectional survey of 272 nurses working in nursing homes. And the data were analysed by descriptive analyses, univariate analysis and Multiple regression analyses. Results The overall average work engagement score was 3.99 ± 1.04. Professional identity was the only factor that significantly influenced the ‘vigour’ and ‘absorption’ of nurses. Age, ethnicity and professional identity were significant predictors of ‘dedication’. Conclusions A positive professional identity can lead to a better work engagement among nurses working in nursing homes in China. Implications for Nursing Management To enhance the work engagement of nurses working in nursing homes, nursing leaders should create a respectful and equal work environment, create a favourable image of the industry and the profession and strengthen training to improve the professional identity.

Aim: To examine how the effects of hardiness, self-efficacy and positive academic emotion related to the SRL ability of undergraduate nursing students. Design:A cross-sectional survey was designed. Methods: A total of 395 Chinese undergraduate nursing students from two undergraduate colleges filled out the questionnaires from May to June 2019. The relationships between hardiness, self-efficacy, positive academic emotion and SRL ability were analysed by structural equation modelling. Results:The response rate was 94.05%. SRL ability was significantly positive correlated with hardiness, self-efficacy and positive academic emotion in undergraduate nursing students. Self-efficacy (β = 0.417, p < 0.001) and positive academic emotion (β = 0.232, p < 0.001) showed a direct effect on the SRL ability. Although hardiness showed no direct effect on the SRL ability, it affected SRL ability through three indirect ways: self-efficacy (77.778%), positive academic emotion (14.184%) and the chain mediating effect from self-efficacy to positive academic emotion (8.038%).Conclusions: Nursing students with a higher level of hardiness would have higher self-efficacy, and more positive and stable academic emotions to obtain the better SRL ability. The produced model provides insights into several factors associated with SRL ability of nursing students. Hardiness, self-efficacy and positive academic emotion should be emphasized in the education of nursing students because these factors could improve their SRL ability and promote their life-long learning.