Quality faculty-nursing students' relationship: a systematic review of facilitators, barriers, and impact on students.

Abstract

Background: Faculty-student relationships are central to the academic and professional development of nursing students. This review aimed to systematically identify and synthesise existing evidence on the facilitators and barriers to quality faculty-nursing student relationships and their impact on student outcomes.

Method: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA guidelines. Comprehensive searches were carried out across major databases including PubMed Central, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, ERIC, JSTOR, Dimensions.ai, and others. Studies published in English between 2000 and 2025 that focused on faculty-nursing student relationships were included. The quality of the included studies was assessed using Joana Briggs Institute (JBI) critical appraisal tools and mixed-method appraisal tool, and thematic synthesis was employed to analyse and report findings.

Results: Thirty-eight studies were included in the final synthesis. Key barriers identified included disrespectful behaviours, ineffective teaching, poor communication, institutional constraints, and discrimination. These factors contributed to psychological distress, disengagement, and reduced academic performance. Facilitators of positive relationships included strong faculty support, caring behaviours, respectful and inclusive interactions, effective communication, and structured learning environments. Positive relationships were associated with improved confidence, motivation, clinical readiness, and professional identity formation. Poor-quality relationships, in contrast, may be linked to emotional distress and negative perceptions of the nursing profession.

Conclusion: Findings from the included studies suggest that the quality of the faculty-nursing student relationship plays a critical role in shaping student experiences and outcomes. Strengthening relational practices in nursing education may support student development and promote more inclusive and effective learning environments. Further research is needed to explore interventions across diverse settings.

Clinical trial number: Not applicable.