Academic-related stress among graduate students in nursing in a Jamaican school of nursing.

Abstract

Graduate students perceive their education as highly stressful, have consistently rated their stress levels as above average and have consistently scored above average on stress scales. The consequences of stress include negative academic outcomes, reduction in cognitive ability, impaired coping and incompletion of graduate studies. Stress is also associated with physical and psychological symptoms such as altered appetite, sleep pattern disturbances and headache. A descriptive correlational design was used to determine the perceived levels and sources of academic-related stress among students enrolled in a Master of Science in Nursing (MScN) degree programme at school of nursing in urban section of Jamaica. The Perceived Stress Scale-14 and Stress Survey were used to collect data from the 81 students enrolled in full or part time study in the MScN programme. Univariate and bivariate analyses were conducted using SPSS version 20. The majority (50.9%) were moderately stressed while 22.8% and 24.6% had high and low levels of stress respectively. Stress associated with the preparation for and prospect of final examinations received the highest overall mean stress rating, causing "a lot of stress". Attendances at classes and relationships with lecturers received the lowest mean stress rating. Research was not listed as a stressor.