Sources of Stress in University Nursing Students

Abstract

"It's a bad time of year for the students. This happens all the time." Too often, statements like these are offered in explanation of particularly stressful periods in the lives of university nursing students. Such statements are inadequate to justify stress that interferes with optimal functioning or to absolve faculty members of responsibility to minimize undue stress. A belief that at least some of the stress in the lives of students could be reduced prompted a study of the sources of stress in a particular baccalaureate nursing program. PROBLEM Stress is an unusual phenomenon. A certain amount of stress is critical to motivate students to learn, while stress beyond the optimal level can lead to failure, unhappiness, and economic loss (Rothrock, 1974). One of the tasks of educators is to manipulate the environment so that stress is kept to a level that will promote development of the student.