Perceived Stress, Its Stressors and Coping Mechanism Among Nursing Students in Clinical Practice During COVID-19 Pandemic
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31436/ijcs.v5i2.244Keywords:
Stress level, stressors, coping mechanism, clinical practice, nursing students, Covid-19Abstract
Introduction: Being stressed-out and overwhelmed during the period of nursing training is the frequent complaint by nursing students due to clinical training that are very stressful. Moreover, with the COVID-19 pandemic that just happened in 2020, modification of lifestyle during the lockdown leads to psychological distress and stress especially among undergraduate nursing students. Objectives: This study aims to assess the perceived stress and coping mechanism among nursing students in clinical practice during COVID-19 pandemic.
Method: A cross-sectional study was conducted among nursing students from IIUM Kuantan using online surveys. Data was interpreted in descriptive and inferential analysis using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) version 20.
Results: Among 128 participants, the students perceived high stress levels (M = 2.06, SD = 0.66). The most common types of stressors are stress from assignments and workload (M = 2.72, SD = 0.82). Meanwhile, the most common type of coping mechanism applied by nursing students is transference (M = 2.57, SD = 0.75), while the least frequently applied by the students is avoidance (M = 1.65, SD = 0.77). The association between demographic profile such as hours of sleep and the worry of being infected with COVID-19 were significant with perceived stress levels, while being quarantined due to suspected infection or infected by COVID-19 and hours of sleep were statistically significant with coping mechanism. Furthermore, there was a positive significant association between total perceived stress and coping mechanism using the Spearman correlation.
Conclusion: This study may help in planning to overcome the high stress problems among nursing students through nursing education, nursing practice and nursing research.
References
Manansingh, S. (2017). The Relationship of Relaxation Technique, Test Anxiety, Academic Stress, and Nursing Students Intention to Stay in a Baccalaureate Degree Nursing Program. (Doctoral dissertation, St. John’s University). Retrieved from https://search.proquest.com/docview/2013525246/1D4D30B5D034397PQ/1?accountid=44024
Bahad?r-Y?lmaz, E. (2016). Academic and clinical stress, stress resources and ways of coping among Turkish first-year nursing students in their first clinical practice. Kontakt, 18(3), e145–e151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kontakt.2016.08.001
National Institute of Mental Health (2020). I’am so stress out. https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/publications/so-stressed-out-fact-sheet
Sheroun, D., Wankhar, D. D., Devrani, A., Pv, L., Gita, S., & Chatterjee, K. (2020). A study to assess the perceived stress and coping strategies among B.Sc. nursing students of selected colleges in Pune during COVID-19 pandemic lockdown. International Journal of Science & Healthcare Research, 5(2), 280–288. www.ijshr.com
Labrague, Leodoro Jabien. (2013). Stress, stressors, and stress responses of student nurses in a government nursing school. Health Science Journal, 7(4), 424–435.
Labrague, L. J., McEnroe-Petitte, D. M., Papathanasiou, I. V., Edet, O. B., Tsaras, K., Leocadio, M. C., Colet, P., Kleisiaris, C. F., Fradelos, E. C., Rosales, R. A., Vera Santos-Lucas, K., & Velacaria, P. I. T. (2017). Stress and coping strategies among nursing students: an international study. Journal of Mental Health, 27(5), 402–408. https://doi.org/10.1080/09638237.2017.1417552
Noor, N. A. B. M., Abu Bakar, R., & Bit-Lian, Y. (2020). Stress and Coping Strategies During Clinical Practices Among Degree Nursing Students of a Private Institution. The Malaysian Journal of Nursing, 11(3), 53–62. https://doi.org/10.31674/mjn.2020.v11i03.009
Luberto, C. M., Goodman, J. H., Halvorson, B., Wang, A., & Haramati, A. (2020). Stress and Coping Among Health Professions Students During COVID-19: A Perspective on the Benefits of Mindfulness. Global advances in health and medicine, 9, 2164956120977827. https://doi.org/10.1177/
Shaban, I. A., Khater, W. A., & Akhu-Zaheya, L. M. (2012). Undergraduate nursing students’ stress sources and coping behaviours during their initial period of clinical training: A Jordanian perspective. Nurse Education in Practice, 12(4), 204–209. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2012.01.005
Sheu, S., Lin, H. S., & Hwang, S. L. (2002). Perceived stress and physio-psycho-social status of nursing students during their initial period of clinical practice: The effect of coping behaviors. International Journal of Nursing Studies, 39(2), 165–175. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0020-7489(01)00016-5
Reyna, M. C. E., & Sauceda, K. M. C. (2019). Stressors perceived by nursing students during clinical practices. Differences between educational programs. Index de Enfermeria, 28(1–2), 79–83.
Bodys-cupak, I., Majda, A., Skowron, J., Pucha?a, Z.-, First, A., Bodys-cupak, I., Majda, A., Skowron, J., Pucha?a, J. Z.-, & Trzci?ska, A. (2018). First Year Nursing Students’ Coping Strategies in Stressful Clinical Practice Situations. Journal of Education in Science, Environment and Health, 4(1), 12–18. https://doi.org/10.21891/jeseh.387474
Bahad?r-Y?lmaz, E. (2016). Academic and clinical stress, stress resources and ways of coping among Turkish first-year nursing students in their first clinical practice. Kontakt, 18(3), e145–e151. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.kontakt.2016.08.001
Onieva-Zafra, M. D., Fernández-Muñoz, J. J., Fernández-Martínez, E., García-Sánchez, F. J., Abreu-Sánchez, A., & Parra-Fernández, M. L. (2020). Anxiety, perceived stress and coping strategies in nursing students: a cross-sectional, correlational, descriptive study. BMC Medical Education, 20(1), 1–9. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-020-02294-z
Aslan, H., & Pekince, H. (2020). Nursing students’ views on the COVID-19 pandemic and their percieved stress levels. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, June. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12597
Yildiz Findik, U., Ozbas, A., Cavdar, I., Yildizeli Topcu, S., & Onler, E. (2015). Assessment of nursing students’ stress levels and coping strategies in operating room practice. Nurse Education in Practice, 15(3), 192–195. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2014.11.008
Khater, W. a, Akhu-zaheya, L. M., & Shaban, I. a. (2014). Sources of Stress and Coping Behaviours in Clinical Practice among Baccalaureate Nursing Students. International Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 4(6), 194–202.
Alsaqri, S. H. (2017). Stressors and Coping Strategies of the Saudi Nursing Students in the Clinical Training: A Cross-Sectional Study. Education Research International, 2017(72), 1–8. https://doi.org/10.1155/2017/4018470
Ahmed, W. A. M., & Mohammed, B. M. A. (2019). Nursing students’ stress and coping strategies during clinical training in KSA. Journal of Taibah University Medical Sciences, 14(2), 116–122. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jtumed.2019.02.002
Strauss, S., & Hutton, E. (1983). A Framework for conceptualizing stress in clinical learning. Journal of Nursing Education, 22(9), 367-371.
Eweida, R. S., Rashwan, Z. I., Desoky, G. M., & Khonji, L. M. (2020). Mental strain and changes in psychological health hub among intern-nursing students at pediatric and medical-surgical units amid ambience of COVID-19 pandemic: A comprehensive survey. Nurse Education in Practice, 49(May), 102915. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nepr.2020.102915
Zhao, F. F., Lei, X. L., He, W., Gu, Y. H., & Li, D. W. (2015). The study of perceived stress, coping strategy and self-efficacy of Chinese undergraduate nursing students in clinical practice. International Journal of Nursing Practice, 21(4), 401–409.
Hamaideh, S. H., Al-Omari, H., & Al-Modallal, H. (2017). Nursing students’ perceived stress and coping behaviors in clinical training in Saudi Arabia. Journal of Mental Health, 26(3), 197–203. https://doi.org/10.3109/09638237.2016.1139067
Majrashi, A., Khalil, A., Nagshabandi, E. Al, & Majrashi, A. (2021). Stressors and Coping Strategies among Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review. Nursing Reports, 11(2), 444–459. https://doi.org/10.3390/nursrep11020042
Zhi, X., Lu, L., Pu, Y., Meng, A., Zhao, Y., Cheng, F., Jiang, J., Li Xu, J., & Zeng, Y. (2020). Investigation and analysis of psychological stress and professional identity of nursing students during COVID-19 pandemic. Indian Journal of Experimental Biology, 58(June), 426–432.
Shdaifat, E. A., Jamama, A., & Al-Amer, M. (2018). Stress and Coping Strategies Among Nursing Students. Global Journal of Health Science, 10(5), 33. https://doi.org/10.5539/gjhs.v10n5p33
Ersin, F., & Kartal, M. (2021). The determination of the perceived stress levels and health-protective behaviors of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. Perspectives in Psychiatric Care, 57(2), 929–935. https://doi.org/10.1111/ppc.12636
Alatawi, A. (2021). Studying during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Nursing Student’s Perspectives and Experiences in Saudi Arabia. Revista Argentina de Clínica Psicológica, 30(2), 7. https://doi.org/10.24205/03276716.2020.4001
Khan, M.J., Altaf, S., & Kausar, H. (2013). Effect of Perceived Academic Stress on Students’ Performance. FWU Journal of Social Sciences, 7(2), pp 146-151.
Alzayyat, A., & Al-Gamal, E. (2016). Correlates of Stress and Coping among Jordanian Nursing Students during Clinical Practice in Psychiatric/Mental Health Course. Stress and Health, 32(4), 304–312. https://doi.org/10.1002/smi.2606
Torales, J., O’Higgins, M., Castaldelli-Maia, J. M., & Ventriglio, A. (2020). The outbreak of COVID-19 coronavirus and its impact on global mental health. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, 66(4), 317–320. https://doi.org/10.1177/0020764020915212