Stress and anxiety in nursing students during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic
Abstract Objective: To compare anxiety and acute stress levels among nursing students who joined the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and those who did not. Methods: A cross-sectional, multicentre descriptive study across three Spanish public universities. A total of 216 nursing students participated in our study. Data collection was carried through an online questionnaire, that included variables on conditions for entering the labour market, the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale and the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Overall, 42.6% (n=92) of the students entered the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global anxiety score was x̄=36.31 (SD=5.71) and the stress score was x̄=82.39 (SD=30.84). Lower anxiety levels were observed among those who joined the labour market (x̄=35.67; SD=5.78) as compared to those who did not (x̄=36.73; SD=5.67). Overall 92.4% of the students were acutely stressed. Acute stress was higher among those who did not work (x̄=84.35; SD=32.38) and significantly in women. Conclusions: Nursing students were able to cope with stress in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A healthy worker effect could not be ruled out. Stress and anxiety among nursing students should be considered by clinical practice preceptors and at the time students first enter the labour market.
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , , |
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| Format: | Digital revista |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Societat Catalana de Salut Laboral y Asociación de Medicina del Trabajo de la Comunidad Valenciana
2024
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| Online Access: | https://scielo.isciii.es/scielo.php?script=sci_arttext&pid=S1578-25492024000100003 |
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| Summary: | Abstract Objective: To compare anxiety and acute stress levels among nursing students who joined the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and those who did not. Methods: A cross-sectional, multicentre descriptive study across three Spanish public universities. A total of 216 nursing students participated in our study. Data collection was carried through an online questionnaire, that included variables on conditions for entering the labour market, the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale and the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Overall, 42.6% (n=92) of the students entered the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global anxiety score was x̄=36.31 (SD=5.71) and the stress score was x̄=82.39 (SD=30.84). Lower anxiety levels were observed among those who joined the labour market (x̄=35.67; SD=5.78) as compared to those who did not (x̄=36.73; SD=5.67). Overall 92.4% of the students were acutely stressed. Acute stress was higher among those who did not work (x̄=84.35; SD=32.38) and significantly in women. Conclusions: Nursing students were able to cope with stress in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A healthy worker effect could not be ruled out. Stress and anxiety among nursing students should be considered by clinical practice preceptors and at the time students first enter the labour market. |
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