Objective To investigate cognitive status of nursing students for patient safety and analyze its influencing factors,and to supply reference for the patient safety education of nursing students.Methods Using convenience sampling method,617 nursing students in Tianjin and Fuzhou were investigated by self-designed the nursing students for patient safety KABP questionnaire.The results underwent analysis.Results The patient safety KABP total score was 3.34±0.44,all dimensions from high to low were attitude 3.82±0.51,behaviour and practice 3.42±0.60,knowledge 2.92±0.67.Undergraduate nursing students overall cognition was lower than those of college nursing students,t=5.194,P＜0.01,the overall cognitive situation of students who had entered the graduation practice was higher than nursing students who had not entered the graduation practice,t=3.264,P＜0.01,however attitude was negative,t=-3.813,P＜0.01.Regression analysis showed that factors influencing cognition of nursing students for patient safety were mainly education degree and whether entering graduation practice or not.Conclusions The cognition of patient safety in nursing students was in the medium level,mainly affected by the education degree and whether entering graduation practice or not.