Secondary Traumatic Stress in Baccalaureate Nursing Students: A Pilot Study

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Psychology
• Trauma Studies

Background:

• Clinical training places nursing students at risk for secondary traumatic stress (STS).
• Limited measurement tools exist for assessing STS in student populations.
• This pilot study addresses the need for preliminary data on STS in nursing students.

Purpose of the Study:

• To assess the prevalence and severity of STS among nursing students.
• To investigate the relationship between STS and personal factors.
• To explore the connection between STS and the clinical learning environment.

Main Methods:

• A descriptive, correlational multimethod pilot study design was employed.
• Data were collected from 123 baccalaureate nursing students.
• Descriptive, inferential statistics, and thematic analysis were utilized for data evaluation.

Main Results:

• 56% of nursing students reported moderate to severe STS.
• 24% of participants met preliminary PTSD criteria due to trauma exposure.
• Correlates of STS and qualitative findings were identified.

Conclusions:

• Nurse educators should adopt trauma-informed educational strategies due to student trauma exposure.
• Further research is needed to explore STS in diverse nursing student populations.
• Findings underscore the importance of addressing student mental well-being in clinical settings.