Stress commonly occurs among health workers and medical students including undergraduate nursing students (Amr et al. 2011; Rajesh Kumar,. 2011; Shamar ...
STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES AMONG UNDERGRADUATE NURSING STUDENTS IN UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR NIGERIA PRESENTED BY*1SAMSON-AKPAN, P. E., (R.N, Ph.D); 2JOHN, M. E. (R.N, PhD); 3EDET, O. B. (R.N, Ph.D); 4ELLA, R. E. (R.N, Ph.D). DEPARTMENT OF NURSING SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF CALABAR, CALABAR, NIGERIA
INTRODUCTION • Stress commonly occurs among health workers and medical students including undergraduate nursing students (Amr et al. 2011; Rajesh Kumar, 2011; Shamar & Kaur, 2011; Eswi, Radi & Youssri, 2013). • Different kinds of stressors affect students such as the pressure of academics with the responsibility to succeed, not knowing the future outcome and inability to integrate into the system.
INTRODUCTION Cont. • Students grapple with social, emotional, physical and family problems which may interfere with academic performance (Shamar & Kaur, 2011). • A high level of stress can cause physical and mental health problems, reduced self-esteem and result in low academic achievement (Nicholl &Timmins, 2005).
INTRODUCTION Cont. • Studies within and outside the country have examined stress among medical students, radiography students (Ugwu & Ugwumba, 2013); student nurses (Rajesh Kumar, 2011; Shamar & Kaur, 2011) and undergraduate nursing students in Egypt (Amr et al. 2011). • However, there is no study in Nigeria addressing undergraduate nursing students’ stress.
OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY The main objectives of the study were: • To assess the level of stress experienced by undergraduate nursing students in the University of Calabar, Nigeria. • To identify the coping strategies used by the undergraduate nursing students in the University of Calabar, Nigeria.
MATERIALS & METHODS • Design: Descriptive non experimental study • Sampling technique: Purposive • Sample: 154 undergraduate nursing students 3rd to 5th year students in the Bachelor of Nursing Science Programme, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria
SETTING
DATA COLLECTION • The instrument for data collection was a Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) developed by Cohen (1983) and Nursing Students Coping Orientation for Problems (NUSCOPE) modified from Adolescent Coping Orientation for Problem Experiences (ACOPE). • ACOPE was developed by Patterson and McCubbin (1987). PSS which has 14 items on Likert Scale.
DATA COLLECTION contd. • This instrument was modified by the researchers to ensure that it was sensitive to the needs of the students. • The items were increased from 14 to 15; the instrument has a content validity index was 0.87 and a test retest reliability of the instrument revealed a correlation coefficient (r) 0.78. • NUSCOPE content validity index was 0.80 while a test retest reliability of the instrument was 0.82.
DATA COLLECTION contd. • Data collection was done face to face by the researchers. Data Analysis • Data was analysed using SPSS version 20. • Statistical analysis utilised descriptive statistics, Independent t test and One-way analysis of variance.
ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS • Ethical clearance was from the Cross River State Ministry of Health Research Ethics Committee • Permission was from the University of Calabar and Department of Nursing Science • Informed consent was obtained from the participants • Study processes adhered to ethical protocols (confidentiality and anonymity)
RESULTS
Socio-demographic Characteristics of the Respondents Characteristics
Frequencies
percentages
Gender Male Female Total
18 136 154
11.69 88.31 100
Mode of entry University Matriculation Exams Direct entry Transfers Total
88 63 3 154
57.14 40.91 1.95 100
Level of the students Year 3
42
27.27
RESULTS Contd. • The mean age of the respondents was 28.91+7.61 • The mean of perceived stress within the last one month was 39.15+7.13 while the respondents 101(65.6%) experienced moderate stress and 52 (33.8%) had high or severe stress. • The findings in this study is supported by Amr et al. (2011); Rajesh Kumar (2011); Shamar & Kaur (2011).
RESULTS Contd. • The most commonly used coping strategies were: seeking diversion 27.73+4.27; self-reliance 18.05+3.43; avoiding 17.71+3.90 while the least commonly used was being humorous 4.07+1.63. • These results are also in consonant with Rajesh Kumar (2011). • However, there was no significant statistical difference in gender with regards to stress (p
