Perceived Sources of Stress Among First-Year Nursing Students in Jordan

Abstract

The aim of the current study was to determine the most prevalent sources of stress among first-year nursing students at a military college in Jordan. A descriptive cross-sectional study was performed using a convenience sample of 138 students (females between ages 18 and 22). The Student Stress Survey was used to identify stressors and assess their relative importance. The instrument consists of 40 items divided into four categories of potential sources of stress: (a) intrapersonal, (b) interpersonal, (c) academic, and (d) environmental. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The top five sources of stress reported were: increased class workload (89%), change in living environment (83%), change in social activities (78%), change in eating habits (77.5 %), and change in sleeping habits (76%), with academic sources of stress being the most frequently reported. The results provide valuable information for educators and administrators in nursing colleges to identify types of stress among first-year nursing students and establish strategies to reduce stress among such students, particularly from academic and environmental sources.

Female gender and low physical activity are risk factors for academic stress in incoming nursing students

“…Many of these sources of stress can be alleviated or eliminated by university management teams by making psychological or psychopedagogical services available to university students (Shudifat & Al‐Husban, 2015).…”

“…In recent years, several authors have pointed to the need to design programs and implement actions aimed at reducing stress and its adverse effects on nursing students | 1287 (Shudifat & Al-Husban, 2015). Although stress in nursing students cannot be eliminated entirely, it can be minimized (Onieva-Zafra et al, 2020;Shudifat & Al-Husban, 2015). Therefore, for nursing faculties to offer quality training, it would be necessary to detect and subsequently prevent the different sources of stress that influence students, thus optimizing the teaching/learning process.…”

“…However, it is not possible to compare our findings with theirs, since we cannot know whether, in our sample, the students who chose nursing as their first option did so for vocational or other reasons. In recent years, several authors have pointed to the need to design programs and implement actions aimed at reducing stress and its adverse effects on nursing students | 1287 (Shudifat & Al-Husban, 2015). Although stress in nursing students cannot be eliminated entirely, it can be minimized (Onieva-Zafra et al, 2020;Shudifat & Al-Husban, 2015).…”

Nursing students’ stressors and coping strategies during their first clinical training: a qualitative study in the United Arab Emirates

“…Our study also showed that when students felt stressed, some adopted negative coping strategies, such as showing anger/irritability, engaging in unhealthy eating habits (e.g., consumption of too much food or coffee), or smoking cigarettes. Previous studies have reported that high levels of perceived stress affect eating habits [60] and are linked to poor diet quality, increased snacking, and low fruit intake [61]. Stress in clinical settings has also been linked to sleep problems, substance misuse, and high-risk behaviors' and plays a major role in student's decision to continue in their programme.…”

Estrés académico en estudiantes universitarios de nuevo ingreso y su relación con la vía de acceso a la universidad

“…Aunque el estrés académico no puede ser eliminado en su totalidad, sí que puede ser minimizado (Arribas, 2013). Por ello, en los últimos años se ha señalado la necesidad de poner en marcha acciones y medidas cuya finalidad sea la reducción del estrés en los estudiantes universitarios (Shudifat y Al-Husban, 2015;Fornés-Vives, et al, 2012). Para que las universidades puedan llevar a cabo programas formativos de calidad, se hace necesario detectar las posibles fuentes de estrés y poner servicios psicológicos o psicopedagógicos a disposición del alumnado universitario (Shudifat y Al-Husban, 2015).…”