Exploring latent profiles of reflective practice and their relationship with the clinical learning environment among Master of Nursing Specialist postgraduates

Reflective practice is a key approach to developing clinical competence among nurses and is particularly important for Master of Nursing Specialist (MNS) postgraduates. However, researchers have largely overlooked individual differences in reflective capacity, their influencing factors, and their association with the clinical learning environment. A latent profile analysis (LPA) was conducted to identify subgroups of reflective capacity among MNS postgraduates in China and to explore the factors influencing reflective capacity and its relationship with the clinical learning environment. This was a cross-sectional survey. Participants were recruited from six universities in the Henan, Hubei, and Shanxi provinces of China. A convenience sampling method was used to recruit 307 MNS postgraduates between April and June 2025. A questionnaire survey was conducted using the general information questionnaire, reflective practice questionnaire, and the clinical learning environment assessment scale for MNS postgraduates. LPA was performed to analyze the characteristics of reflective practice among MNS postgraduates, and univariate and logistic regression analyses were used to identify factors influencing the latent profiles. LPA revealed three distinct reflective practice profiles among MNS postgraduates: the “Low-reflective practice” group (30.29%), “Moderate-reflective practice” group (40.07%), and “High-reflective practice” group (29.04%). Logistic regression analysis indicated that first academic qualification, leadership experience, professional career goals, monthly family income, and the clinical learning environment influenced the latent profiles of reflective practice. The findings revealed heterogeneity in reflective practice among MNS postgraduates. Nursing administrators should implement tailored training programs for distinct MNS postgraduate profiles, stimulate students’ interest in clinical practice, provide necessary financial or psychological support, and optimize the clinical learning environment to improve reflective practice capacity.