The Effects of a Web-Based Nursing Process Documentation Program on Stress and Anxiety of Nursing Students in South Korea

AIM: To examine the effects of a web-based nursing process documentation system on the stress and anxiety of nursing students during their clinical practice. METHODS: A quasi-experimental design was employed. The experimental group (n = 110) used a web-based nursing process documentation program for their case reports as part of assignments for a clinical practicum, whereas the control group (n = 106) used traditional paper-based case reports. Stress and anxiety levels were measured with a numeric rating scale before, 2 weeks after, and 4 weeks after using the web-based nursing process documentation program during a clinical practicum. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t tests, chi-square tests, and repeated-measures analyses of variance. RESULTS: Nursing students who used the web-based nursing process documentation program showed significant lower levels of stress and anxiety than the control group. CONCLUSION: A web-based nursing process documentation program could be used to reduce the stress and anxiety of nursing students during clinical practicum, which ultimately would benefit nursing students by increasing satisfaction with and effectiveness of clinical practicum.