Self-Regulated Learning and Perceived Clinical Stressors in Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

To examine the relationship between self-regulated learning and perceived clinical stressors among undergraduate nursing students engaged in clinical education.

A descriptive and correlational cross-sectional study.

The study was conducted with 223 undergraduate nursing students enrolled at a public university during the 2022-2023 academic year. Participants were recruited using convenience sampling. Data were collected using the Self-Regulated Learning Scale for Clinical Nursing Practices and the Nursing Students' Perceptions of Clinical Stressors Scale. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics, non-parametric tests, Spearman's correlation, and multiple linear regression analysis.

Nursing students reported relatively high levels of both self-regulated learning and perceived clinical stressors. Students who had voluntarily chosen the nursing profession demonstrated higher self-regulated learning scores than those who had not. Perceived clinical stressor scores differed according to gender, academic year and perceived academic achievement. A weak positive association was identified between self-regulated learning and perceived clinical stressors. However, after adjustment for gender, academic year and academic achievement in the multiple linear regression analysis, self-regulated learning was not an independent predictor of perceived clinical stress. These findings suggest that self-regulated learning and clinical stress represent interconnected aspects of nursing students' clinical learning experiences, although self-regulated learning was not an independent predictor of perceived clinical stress after adjustment for potential confounding variables.

What problem did the study address? ○ Limited evidence exists regarding the relationship between self-regulated learning and perceived clinical stressors among undergraduate nursing students in clinical education settings. What were the main findings? ○ Nursing students reported high levels of both self-regulated learning and perceived clinical stressors, and a weak positive association was observed between these constructs. Where and on whom will the research have an impact? ○ The findings may inform nurse educators, curriculum planners and academic institutions in designing educational approaches that simultaneously support learning regulation and student well-being during clinical training.

STROBE checklist for cross-sectional studies.

No Patient or Public Contribution. Nursing students participated only as study respondents and were not involved in the design, conduct, reporting or dissemination of the study.