Objective: To explore health self-management, adaptation, and perceived stress among nursing interns in medical colleges and universities under the normal prevention and control of COVID-19, and to provide a scientific basis for the health management of practice nursing students. Methods: Medical colleges in the Inner Mongolia region were selected to study 263 nursing student interns by cluster random sampling. The survey was conducted using the Health Self-Management Ability Assessment Scale, the Chinese College Students Adjustment Scale and the Perceived Stress Scale. Results: The total score of health self-management ability of nursing students during internship was (138.31±20.13). The total score of health self-management ability of nursing students with different educational backgrounds and different residence places was statistically significant ( F/t =3.51, 2.46, P < 0.05 ); the total adaptive score was (3.17±0.72); during the epidemic, the total score of perceived stress was (11.52±2.79), and the difference in the total score of perceived stress among nursing students with different educational backgrounds was statistically significant ( t=4.05, P <0.05). Pearson analysis showed that there was a significant negative correlation between health self-management ability, adaptation, and perceived stress among nursing students during the epidemic period ( r =-0.31, -0.35, P <0.01). Conclusion There was a close relationship between perceived stress of nursing students and health self-management and adaptation; the educators in medical colleges should actively explore strategies to improve the health self-management ability and adaptation level of nursing students to enhance the psychological adjustment ability of nursing students to maintain good physical and mental health.