Objective: This study explores how perceived social support influences resilience among nursing students and the mediating role of general self-efficacy, along with the moderating impact of professional identity. Methods: A questionnaire survey was conducted with 1377 nursing students in Zhuhai, China, from March to May 2022, using stratified random sampling. Correlation analysis, cascade regression, and bias-corrected bootstrap methods were employed to assess the relationships between perceived social support, general self-efficacy, professional identity, and resilience. Results: Nursing students’ perceived social support significantly predicted general self-efficacy ( β =0.384， p＜0.001) and resilience ( β =0.603， p＜0.001). General self-efficacy acted as a “bridge” between perceived social support and resilience ( β =0.298， p＜0.001), and professional identity moderated the relationship between general self-efficacy and resilience ( β =0.128, p＜0.001). Conclusion: Collaboration among schools, families, and society is essential to provide social support for nursing students, fostering their resilience. Nurse educators can play a pivotal role in fostering nursing students’ professional identity by cultivating their emotional connection to the profession and augmenting their understanding of the multifaceted nature of nursing practice, ultimately enhancing their resilience.