Hassles, uplifts, and anxiety reported by Post-RN students in a BScN programme

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychological Stress
• Community Health

Background:

• Registered nurse (Post-RN) students in baccalaureate programs face unique stressors.
• Community Health Nursing examinations present a specific challenge within nursing education.
• Understanding student experiences with daily hassles, uplifts, and anxiety is crucial for academic support.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify daily hassles, uplifts, and anxiety in distance education and on-campus Post-RN students.
• To examine the relationships between these psychological variables and sociodemographic factors.
• To investigate the impact of hassles and uplifts on student anxiety during a Community Health Nursing examination.

Main Methods:

• Utilized Spielberger's State and Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI).
• Employed Folkman and Lazarus' Hassles and Uplifts questionnaire.
• Analyzed data from registered nurse students undergoing a Community Health Nursing examination.

Main Results:

• State anxiety levels were elevated compared to female working adults; on-campus students reported higher state anxiety than distance learners.
• Trait anxiety varied significantly with age; sociodemographic factors generally did not influence hassles or uplifts.
• Unemployed students reported greater uplifts than those employed in hospitals.
• Hassles, particularly time pressure, significantly contributed to student anxiety.

Conclusions:

• Registered nurse students experience considerable anxiety during challenging nursing examinations, influenced by factors like time pressure.
• On-campus students may require targeted interventions for anxiety management compared to distance learners.
• Further research is needed to track hassles, uplifts, and anxiety throughout the Post-RN baccalaureate program.