Abstract:

Introduction: It is commonly accepted that educational stress affects students' academic achievement, self-esteem, and coping efficacy, which can lead to changes in physiological and psychological health. Nursing students experience greater stress related to the intensity and complexity of nursing programs, including academic, clinical, and personal stressors than students in other health-related fields. Aim: To investigate undergraduate nursing students’ stress levels and factors affecting these during their education. Materials and methods: This was a descriptive and cross-sectional study involving 319 students. A Sociodemographic Characteristics Form and the Student Nurse Stress Index (SNSI) were used for data collection. The Cronbach alpha coefficient of the scale was 0.86. Results: Of the participants, 26.6% were in the third year of study, 67.4% were female and 55.5% of the students thought of themselves as moderately successful academically. The overall SNSI mean score was 43.85±10.58 (min=15, max=75). According to the analysis, there was a statistically significant difference between some of the students’ sociodemographic features and the Student Nurse Stress Index mean scores. The students' academic year was directly associated with stress levels (p < 0.05). The academic load was the most common source of stress reported by students. Conclusion and suggestions: It was found that the stress levels of the senior students were higher than those of other students. Nursing students' mental health must be protected to continue to provide adequate care and treatment to patients. Stress management interventions should be provided, especially in the final year of study, when the students experience the most intense stress.

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