Background: Nursing students face unique challenges during their university education, making them vulnerable to mental health problems. Psychological resilience has been identified as a protective factor against these issues. However, previous reviews have identified gaps in the literature on resilience and mental health among nursing students.
Objectives: This scoping review aims to identify and map studies on psychological resilience and mental health in undergraduate nursing students, synthesize current evidence on their relationship, identify interventions for enhancing resilience, and highlight gaps in the existing literature.
Eligibility criteria: Studies published between January 2019 and April 2024 in English, Portuguese, and Spanish addressing resilience and mental health in undergraduate nursing students will be included. Primary studies, secondary studies, clinical guidelines, and grey literature will be considered.
Sources of evidence: Searches will be conducted in multiple databases including EMBASE, ERIC, PubMed, Science Direct, Web of Science, DOAJ, ELSEVIER, EMERALD, and WILEY ONLINE LIBRARY. Grey literature sources will also be searched.
Charting methods: Data will be extracted using a standardized form and synthesized narratively. Thematic analysis will be conducted using MAXQDA software ((Verbi GmbH, 24 version, 2023). Quantitative summaries, visual mapping, subgroup analyses, and trend analyses will be performed where appropriate.
Results: As this is a protocol, results are not yet available. The review will present a comprehensive map of the current literature on psychological resilience and mental health in nursing students, including identified interventions and research gaps.
Conclusions: This scoping review will provide valuable insights to guide curriculum development, support services, and policy-making in nursing education. The findings may support actions to strengthen resilience and prevent mental health problems among future nursing professionals.
Keywords: mental health; nursing students; psychological resilience; scoping review protocol.