Title: Undergraduate Health Care Student’s Stress, Health Status, and the ways of coping behaviour during their clinical practice in mainland China: A comparative study

Biography:

She is currently pursuing her postgraduate training at the School of Nursing, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Techonology, China. In the past she has worked in the Department of Obstetrics for more than 3 years as a nurse midwife. She has garnered an experience in teaching various subjects to undergraduate nursing students for more than 3 years.  She has a keen interest in research, especially related to midwifery and mental health nursing. She has been actively involved in various research activities in the university, and has co-authored at least 2 research papers published in the peer review journal. She has also wholeheartedly participated in various continuous professional development programs and conferences.

Abstract

Purpose: This study aimed to determine and compare the stress level, to identify stressors, to observe health status and to explore the coping behaviors adopted by nursing, dental and medicine students. Methods: It is a cross-sectional, non-experimental comparative study. We used convenience sampling technique for data collection from 290 students. We used a self-reported questionnaire including demographic information, Perceived Stress Scale, Physio-Psycho-Social Response Scale and Coping Behavior Inventory. One way ANOVA and Chi-square test were used to analyze continuous data and categorical data respectively. Results: The lower level of stress was found in nursing students whereas a higher level of stress found in medicine students. Patient’s care was the primary stressor for nursing and dental students and assignment & workload for medicine students. The nursing and dental students reported overall best health status whereas medicine students reported overall good health. Moreover, nursing students used Stay-optimistic as a primary coping whereas dental and medicine students used transference. Avoidance was the least used coping by all the students.Conclusion and Clinical implications: Majority of the students reported moderate stress with best health status. Students face varieties of stressors during their clinical practice. Students used positive coping but not much effective. Therefore, students should be encouraged and motivated to adopt effective coping such as problem-solving.

I.  References:

1.Sheu, S., Lin, H.S., and Hwang, S.L., Perceived stress and physio-psycho-social status of nursing students during their initial period of clinical practice: the effect of coping behaviors. Int J Nurs Stud, 2002. 39(2): p. 165-75.