Nursing students' time management, reducing stress and gaining satisfaction: a grounded theory study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Time Management Studies
• Qualitative Research Methods

Background:

• Nursing students face significant academic demands and professional skill acquisition.
• Effective time management is crucial for navigating the challenges of nursing education.
• Understanding student-specific coping mechanisms is vital for supporting their academic journey.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the time management strategies employed by Iranian nursing students.
• To explore the factors influencing how students manage their time within their academic context.
• To identify patterns in time allocation and stress management among nursing students.

Main Methods:

• Grounded theory methodology was utilized for in-depth exploration.
• Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 21 purposefully selected nursing students.
• Data analysis followed the Corbin and Strauss approach for qualitative data.

Main Results:

• A key time management pattern identified was "unidirectional time management."
• This pattern involves accepting the nursing field, managing uncertainty, assessing situations, experiencing stress, and seeking stress reduction and satisfaction.
• Students predominantly allocated time to academic tasks to mitigate stress.

Conclusions:

• Nursing students' time management is significantly influenced by academic pressures and stress.
• The "unidirectional time management" strategy prioritizes academic demands over other life aspects.
• There is an identified need to incorporate time for age-appropriate extracurricular activities and responsibilities into nursing students' schedules.