Stress and coping styles among nursing students during the initial period of the clinical practicum: A cross-section study

Objectives: This study aimed to explore the level of stress, types of stressors, type of coping styles, and factors influencing stress levels and coping styles among nursing students during the initial period of the clinical practicum. Methods: A cross-sectional survey design was used. In September 2017, participants were recruited from a tertiary hospital in Zhejiang Province, China, using a convenience sampling method. A demographic characteristics questionnaire, the Intern Nursing Student Stressor Scale, and the Simple Coping Style Questionnaire were used to collect data. Data were analyzed using descriptive analysis, independent sample t-tests, one-way analysis of variance, Pearson's correlation analysis, and multiple linear regression analysis. Results: A total of 158 nursing students were recruited, most of whom were female, undergraduates, and from rural areas. The nursing students perceived a moderate level of stress during the initial period of the clinical practicum. The need for knowledge and skills was the most common source of stress. Positive coping styles were most commonly adopted. Nursing students who were undergraduates, only children, and chose nursing major involuntarily experienced higher stress levels than those who were junior college students, not only children, and chose nursing major voluntarily. Nursing undergraduates were more likely to use positive coping styles than junior college students. Male nursing students and those experiencing higher stress levels related to the "environment and equipment of the wards" and the "nature and content of the work" were more likely to use negative coping styles. Conclusion: Nursing educators should offer targeted guidance based on the stress reported during the clinical practicum and the demographic characteristics of the nursing students. Guidance should be provided to encourage nursing students to adopt effective coping strategies and reduce stress. (c) 2022 The authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of the Chinese Nursing Association. This is an open access article under the CC BY-NC-ND license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/).