Professional identity is an important concept in nursing education. This paper reports a small study that examined first-year nursing students’ understanding of professional identity. The intention of the study was to offer insight for nurse educators who support the development of professional identity through nursing education. Three first-year adult nursing students were interviewed and results reflected previous study findings that students’ perceptions of professional identity centred strongly on caring rather than a recognition of the academic requirements needed for nurses to be capable and competent for contemporary practice delivery.