Stress, coping and satisfaction in nursing students

Abstract

Aim. This article is a report of a study conducted to explore the relationship between sources of stress and psychological well-being and to consider how different sources of stress and coping resources might function as moderators and mediators on well-being. Background. In most research exploring sources of stress and coping in nursing students, stress has been construed as psychological distress. Sources of stress likely to enhance well-being and, by implication, learning have not been considered. Method. A questionnaire was administered to 171 final year nursing students in 2008. Questions were asked to measure sources of stress when rated as likely to contribute to distress (a hassle) and rated as likely to help one achieve (an uplift). Support, control, self-efficacy and coping style were also measured, along with their potential moderating and mediating effects on well-being, operationalized using the General Health Questionnaire and measures of course and career satisfaction. Findings. Sources of stress likely to lead to distress were more often predictors of well-being than were sources of stress likely to lead to positive, eustress states, with the exception of clinical placement demands. Self-efficacy, dispositional control and support were important predictors, and avoidance coping was the strongest predictor of adverse well-being. Approach coping was not a predictor of well-being. The mere presence of support appeared beneficial as well as the utility of that support to help a student cope. Conclusion. Initiatives to promote support and self-efficacy are likely to have immediate benefits for student well-being. In course reviews, nurse educators need to consider how students' experiences might contribute not just to potential distress, but to eustress as well.

Preditores do estresse e estratégias de coping utilizadas por estudantes de Enfermagem

“…(2) One study pointed to this lack of effectiveness, finding that students who used escape-avoidance strategies to deal with stress presented the greatest mean values of stress in all domains. (12) This fact was confirmed by another study, which demonstrated an inversely proportional association between escape-avoidance strategies and stress management/ solution: the more students used escape-avoidance strategies, the higher their mean levels of stress. (13) When students perceive themselves as lacking in theoretical and practical knowledge throughout their undergraduate education, feelings of insecurity emerge about their future professional life.…”

“…(5) In this sense, escape-avoidance is not a very effective strategy for managing stressful events. (12) This factor was the most prevalent among our sample, demonstrating that students try to escape from their problems using a delusionary or imaginary strategy, using escapist fantasies to minimize the severity of the situation.…”

“…This strategy can lead to future professionals with poor reflexive skills and who are not greatly committed to the reality of the Brazilian health system, a fact that reduces the autonomy of future nursing professionals and the quality of their work. (12) Thus, the more nursing students use escape-avoidance strategies, the more they perceive knowledge dimensions as potential stressors. (5) In this sense, escape-avoidance is not a very effective strategy for managing stressful events.…”

Stress perception, lifestyle behaviors, and emotional intelligence in undergraduate nursing students

“…[17] Two studies, one conducted in UK and the other in the US, found that social support was a beneficial factor in helping nursing students cope with stress. [18,19] Similarly, in Turkey, a recent study found that nursing students who were seeking social support coped better with stress. [20] Further, a study found that nursing students with high EI also reported a large social support network.…”

Relationship among Stress, Depression, and Satisfaction to Clinical Practice among Nursing Students

“…따라서 간호대 학생의 임상실습 스트레스와 우울을 감소시키는 것이 임상실 습을 경험하는 학생의 정신적 건강증진은 물론 임상실습 만족 도 (Konstantinos & Christina, 2008;Moreira & Furegato, 2013;Park, 2009) 및 전공에 대한 만족도 향상 (Gibbons, Dempster, & Moutray, 2011;Ji, 2013)을 통해 임상실습적 응 능력 증진에도 기여할 것으로 생각된다.…”