Stressors and coping measures among undergraduate nursing students in Western Nigeria

Abstract

Background: Nursing students are frequently exposed to various stressors throughout their training; the resultant stress affects their personal, professional, and academic achievements and well-being directly or indirectly. This study aimed to identify the causes/sources of stress, the levels of stress, coping measures, and possible suggestions for reducing stress and its effects among nursing students. Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional design was used to assess stress and coping variables among undergraduate nursing students at a university in Western Nigeria. This study recruited 151 full-time undergraduate nursing students in their first to fifth study years using a simple random sampling technique. Data were collected through self-structured questionnaires, but the data on the level of stress was assessed using the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS). Descriptive statistics of frequency units, percentages, and mean ± SD were computed to summarize and present the results.  Results: The study's findings revealed that the most common sources of stress were academic, personal, financial, and relationship-related stressors. Furthermore, the majority of nursing students had either low (47.7%) or severe (44.3%) stress levels. To deal with stress, most nursing students use coping mechanisms such as positive thinking, optimism, sleep, and relaxation. Respondents suggested that more emphasis be placed on health promotion programs, reducing the number of exams in one week, and training students on how to develop their social, coping, and time management skills, as these measures can help reduce stressors from academics, personal life, and relationships. Conclusion: To ensure a reduction in stress-related academic failure and illnesses among the students, it is recommended that nursing instructors, lecturers, and leaders pay close attention to the existing stress levels of nursing students and explore ways to increase the coping mechanisms of these students.