Stress among PCL Nursing Students of TUIOM Nursing Campuses in the Kathmandu Valley

Abstract

Background: Stress is common among students and even more common among nursing students. They have similar stresses to other students such as examination pressure, assignment load, lack of free time, family and other personal commitments as well as challenges of clinical practice. Continuous high level of stress may influence the learning process and patient care. So this study was conducted to identify the stress among Proficiency Certificate Level (PCL) nursing students.

Methods: Descriptive cross sectional study was conducted among 287 PCL nursing students currently studying in different level in nursing campuses of the Institute of Medicine during June and July 2013. Self-administered semi structured questionnaire and rating scale was used for the data collection.

Results: The most common stress was personal-environmental stress (mean 3.17±0.67) followed by clinical stress (2.99.60.51) and academic stress (2.97.10.61). Academic and personal stresses were more common among third year (3.03.10.63 and 3.24.10.73 respectively) while Clinical stress was common among second year students (mean 3.11 10.51). Stress was least among first year students.

Conclusion: The finding shows prevalence of stress among PCL nursing students. Stress is more common among second and third year than in first year students. Issues like assignment load in clinical, gap between theory and practice, test and examination, length of class, parental expectation, and change in eating-sleeping pattern, lack of play and recreational activities are felt as common stressors. These factors should be considered by faculties, administration as well as parents to minimize PCL nursing students' stress.