Interventions for Test Anxiety in Undergraduate Nursing Students: An Integrative Review

An integrative review was conducted to identify and evaluate interventions for test anxiety (TA) in undergraduate nursing students.

Test performance has a major impact on the academic success of nursing students. Therefore, testing is a source of stress and anxiety, which may impair academic performance.

A systematic search was conducted to locate peer-reviewed literature about interventions for TA in undergraduate nursing students.

Review of 33 publications dated 1973 to 2014 identified 19 interventions for TA in undergraduate nursing students. Findings included experimental evidence supporting aromatherapy, music therapy, and various cognitive or behavioral interventions. Nonexperimental evidence supporting collaborative testing, crib sheets, and humorous exam items was also found.

Many interventions for mitigating TA in nursing students have been evaluated since the 1970s. Current research is needed to corroborate and strengthen the evidentiary support for existing interventions and to evaluate new interventions.