Stressors to student nurses beginning tertiary education: an Australian study

Stress placed upon student nurses entering tertiary education during a period of rapid change in the Australian system was examined. Overall findings were consistent with research elsewhere, for example, regarding students' experience of anxiety created in particular through assessment requirements. Older students experienced greater anxiety than others in relation to the science components of the curriculum; other groups were also found to experience particular problems. Changes in course design and appropriate support strategies which reduce stress for beginning students are likely to contribute to an improvement in student performance and a decrease in student attrition, and are deemed to be essential if nursing is truly to be viewed as a caring profession.