Building a Resilient Health Workforce in the South America: The Role of Self-Efficacy in Nursing Education

Introduction: This study addressed self-efficacy as a fundamental factor in the academic training of nursing students. It was understood as the personal perception of the ability to organise and execute actions aimed at achieving specific objectives. Given the demands of the nursing profession, the need to strengthen this belief in order to adequately face academic and clinical challenges was recognised. Development: Self-efficacy was analysed as a dynamic construct influenced by motivation, social context, personal factors and sociodemographic data. Key concepts such as academic performance, motivation, university education and characteristics of nursing students were defined. It was identified that academic performance depended on multiple variables, including individual effort, perseverance, the psychosocial environment, and the student's level of commitment to their training process. In addition, it was highlighted that students with higher self-efficacy showed better academic performance, greater willingness to face challenges, and a more positive attitude towards learning. Conclusion: The study concluded that self-efficacy played a decisive role in the comprehensive training of future nursing professionals. By strengthening this belief, not only was better academic performance promoted, but also safer and more empathetic clinical preparation. Therefore, the need for educational institutions to design pedagogical strategies that foster self-efficacy as the basis for meaningful learning and ethical and competent professional practice was highlighted.