Influence of student nurses’ perceived caring behavior of their instructors on their psychological well-being: a cross-sectional study

Aim: This study aimed to understand the influence of clinical instructors’ caring behavior on the psychological well-being of student nurses. Design: This study survey used the quantitative cross-sectional research design. Method: The sample comprised 405 Saudi nursing students studying at Shaqra University. The study used two instruments: the ”Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Instructor Caring” and the ”Student Well-being Process Questionnaire.” Convenience sampling was used to collect data from November 2021 to February 2022 Result: The students’ perceived Instructor caring was high. The psychological well-being of students was high. There were significant variations in the students’ perceived Instructor’s caring in terms of year level. A very weak positive correlation existed between the student nurses’ rank in their families and their perceived Instructor’s caring. Furthermore, gender, year level, family structure, and the Instructor’s caring subscales “supportive learning climate,” ”appreciation of life’s meaning,” and ”control versus flexibility” were significant predictors of the student’s psychological well-being. Conclusion: The study’s results support studies that nursing students’ psychological well-being is influenced by their gender, family structure, year level, and perceived Instructor’s caring behavior.