Stressors and supports for baccalaureate nursing students completing an accelerated program

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Student Support Services
• Higher Education

Background:

• Accelerated nursing programs are demanding, requiring specific coping mechanisms and learning strategies.
• Understanding student experiences is crucial for optimizing educational outcomes in intensive programs.

Purpose of the Study:

• To identify stressors and coping strategies among nursing students in an accelerated program.
• To determine which learning strategies facilitate or impede success in meeting program objectives.

Main Methods:

• Quantitative questionnaires and qualitative interviews were administered to students in an accelerated nursing program.
• The study sample was drawn from an urban Midwestern university's school of nursing.

Main Results:

• Nearly half of the students favored lecture-based classroom presentations.
• Clinical experiences were identified as the most critical program component.
• Peers, family, and faculty were recognized as key resources for students.

Conclusions:

• Identifying stressors and preferred learning strategies can help nursing education institutions better support accelerated students.
• Findings provide a foundation for future research comparing student and faculty perceptions in accelerated nursing programs.