Clinical training stress-inducing factors from the students' viewpoint: a questionnaire-based study

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Nursing Education
• Psychology

Background:

• High-quality clinical training is essential for nursing education.
• Identifying and mitigating stress factors in clinical training environments is necessary to improve the educational experience for students.
• Understanding student perspectives on stress is vital for developing effective support strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore and identify the primary stress-inducing factors encountered by nursing school students during their clinical training.
• To provide insights into the specific areas that cause tension for students in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive research design was employed.
• A convenience sample of 230 nursing students who had completed at least one credit of clinical training was recruited.
• Data were collected to identify student-perceived stressors.

Main Results:

• The most significant sources of tension reported by students included unpleasant emotions, clinical experiences, and interpersonal relationships.
• The educational environment was also identified as a notable stressor.
• Students reported experiencing a considerable amount of tension throughout their clinical training processes.

Conclusions:

• The study highlights that nursing students face numerous tension-inducing factors during clinical training.
• Addressing identified stressors, particularly those related to emotions, experiences, and relationships, can significantly reduce student tension.
• Identifying these factors is a critical step toward enhancing the clinical training environment and supporting student mental health.