In addition to complying with strict academic standards, nursing students must acquire relevant knowledge and skills, and learn how to carry themselves in different and often stressful professional settings. These obligations could severely affect their mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health status of undergraduate nursing students and related factors. A total of 1368 nursing students from different universities in Spain and Chile were included in this study, which took place over the 2018–2019 academic year. We assessed their levels of stress related to specific learning methodologies and determined their mental health status using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The results revealed that the more advanced the course was, the lower the total GHQ-28 score. The stress generated by different types of training activities had a significant effect on the total GHQ-28 score. These results suggest that nursing education could act as a protective factor against mental health disorders. Although a heavy academic workload could lead to higher levels of stress, overall, it seems that mental health is better in more advanced courses than in initial academic years.

RESUMEN Objetivo: Conocer cansancio emocional en estudiantes de enfermería de cuatro Universidades. Método: Estudio de corte transversal, correlacional, realizado en Chile y España (2017-2018). Respondieron instrumento autoaplicado 1368 estudiantes (variables sociodemográficas/académicas y escala de Cansancio Emocional). Análisis con Stata 15, según variables: Pruebas de Chi2, sumas y rangos de Wilcoxon (Mann Whitney), análisis de varianza y regresión múltiple; nivel de confianza 95% y significancia 5% (p < 0,05). Aprobado por Comité de Ética, Universidad de Girona. Resultados: Variables académicas y estrés percibido destacan Bastante/Mucho para: Exámenes, Aprendizaje Basado en Problemas, Laboratorio/Simulación. Diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre cansancio emocional según sexo, personas a cargo, trabajadores, tiempo traslado > a 30 minutos. Mayor cansancio emocional al cursar asignaturas por segunda vez y en actividades académicas donde declaran un estrés percibido como Bastante/Mucho (p < 0,005). Conclusión: Todos los estudiantes presentan cansancio emocional medio (>26 y <37 puntos). Las variables sexo y tener personas a cargo son aspectos relevantes. Estrés percibido por metodologías se relaciona de manera importante con niveles de cansancio emocional.

Objective: To know emotional exhaustion in nursing students from four universities. Method: Cross-sectional, correlational study, carried out in Chile and Spain (2017-2018), with 1,368 students answering a self-applied instrument (sociodemographic/academic variables and the Emotional Exhaustion scale). Analysis with Stata 15, according to variables: Chi2 tests, Wilcoxon rank sum test (Mann Whitney U test), analysis of variance and multiple regression; confidence level 95% and significance 5% (p < 0.05). Approved by the Ethics Committee, Universidad de Girona. Results: Academic variables and perceived stress with Quite Much/Much classification: Exams, Problem-Based Learning, Laboratory/Simulation. Statistically significant differences in emotional exhaustion, according to sex, dependent people, workers, commuting time >30 minutes. Greater emotional exhaustion when taking courses for the second time and in academic activities where they declare perceived stress as Quite Much/Much (p < 0.005). Conclusion: All students present mean level of emotional exhaustion (>26 and <37 points). The variables sex and having dependents are relevant aspects. Stress perceived by methodologies is significantly related to levels of emotional exhaustion.

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RESUMEN: El Rendimiento Académico es un concepto multifactorial en el que inciden aspectos internos, como las características propias del estudiante, y externos como el tipo de diseño curricular de cada institución. El propósito de este trabajo fue mejorar la disposición de recursos de apoyo educativo en estudiantes en riesgo de reprobación, con el objeto