Perceived Incivility and Stress of Final Year Nursing Students

Abstract

Background: Incivility is disruptive behavior that can cause physiological or psychological distress to those involved and can escalate into a potentially dangerous situation such as serious suicidal tendency and engage in self-injury if left untreated. Incivility can be caused by a variety of factors, one of which is stress; however, stress can also be a cause of incivility. Objective: This study aimed to examine the relationship between incivility and stress among final-year nursing students. Methods: This study employed a quantitative research method using a correlation approach. The study used a simple random sampling. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and Spearman rank test. The instruments used in this study were the INE-R/Incivility in Nursing Education-Revision (Cronbach Alpha 0.881-0.876) and the PSS/Perceived Stress Scale (Cronbach Alpha 0.684). This study recruited 200 students, the majority of whom were female (87.5%). Result: This study revealed students' perceived levels of incivility (Mean 20.93, SD 6.67); perceived frequency of incivility (Mean 18.01, SD 5.18); and perceived stress (Mean 22.01, SD 4.01). Additionally, this study discovered significant relationships between students' perceived levels of incivility and stress (p value 0.010, r 0.283) as well as their perceived frequency of incivility and stress (p value 0.001, r 0.269). Conclusion: Incivility has been associated with stress levels in nursing students. It is critical for nursing education to foster a positive learning environment. This study provides evidence for a correlation between incivility and stress in nursing students who transitioned from blended to fully online learning due to the Covid-19 pandemic.