Objective To explor the effect of group counseling on career planning for nursing interns. Methods A total of 60 randomly selected nursing interns were divided into a control group and an experimental group using a random number table, with 30 students in each group. The control group received routine pre-service training, including a brief hospital introduction, nurses′service behavior, management system for nursing interns, interpersonal communication, occupational morals, career prospect planning, etc. While the experimental group additionally received career planning group counseling for 6 times after the pre-service training, once a week, for 2 hours each time. After the training, the effect was evaluated using the career status evaluation scale and the group counseling subjective evaluation questionnaire. Results There were significant differences in time effect, intervention effect and the intervention × time interaction effect between the two groups in the total score of career status and 3 dimension score of career identity, career satisfaction and organizational commitment (P<0.01 for all). The mean subjective evaluation score of the students in the experimental group toward career planning group counseling was (9.03±0.20). Conclusion The nursing interns′satisfaction toward special career planning group counseling is high, the activity could significantly improve their career planning status, and it is conducive to firming their career goal.