Background <p>Compared to students in other disciplines, nursing students often face significantly more negative perceptions about their profession. This occupational stigma adversely affects their views on their future professional roles, their autonomy in decision-making, and the perceived value of their work. These detrimental beliefs influence their self-assessment and exacerbate their negative feelings towards their chosen career, potentially contributing to reduced workforce retention and diminished interest in nursing careers. Consequently, it is essential to place greater emphasis on enhancing the professional competence of nursing interns and to take proactive measures to mitigate the harmful effects of occupational stigma, alongside supporting them in applying their knowledge and developing their clinical skills.</p> Method <p>This study employs a descriptive qualitative research methodology, using the Stigma-Identity-Threat model as its theoretical framework. The study involved 14 nursing students on clinical rotation at a university in Wenzhou, Zhejiang Province. Semi-structured interviews were conducted to collect data on the students’ experiences of and evaluations of clinical stigmatisation, and thematic analysis was used to analyse the findings.</p> Results <p>This study identified four themes and 10 subthemes related to experiences of stigmatisation among nursing students during their clinical rotations. The four themes include stigma-triggering factors, perception and evaluation of social status, the physical and psychological experience of occupational stigma, and coping strategies and qutcomes in relation to occupational stigma.</p> Conclusion <p>During clinical rotations, nursing students often encounter numerous instances of professional stigma. Deep-rooted stereotypes and labels associated with the nursing profession, frequent conflicts between nurses and patients during clinical practice, patients’ lack of trust in nursing students’ professional competence, as well as the students’ own unique personality traits and varying levels of psychological resilience—all these factors can influence nursing students’ perception and evaluation of professional stigma. When nursing students encounter occupational stigma, their bodies instinctively produce involuntary reactions, such as unexplained increases in heart rate or involuntary sweating; simultaneously, they may also actively engage in voluntary responses, such as regulating their emotions or restructuring their cognition to alleviate internal stress or actively seeking external support. However, if nursing students are exposed to a stigmatising environment for an extended period, their professional identity may gradually become undermined, potentially influencing their career choices.</p> Trial registration <p>Not applicable.</p>