Sleep Deprivation, Clinical Exposure Anxiety, and Psycho-Emotional State of Nursing Students

Abstract

Nursing students face various concerns as they pursue a profession related to healthcare. This study determined the levels of sleep deprivation, clinical exposure anxiety, and psycho-emotional state of nursing students in one of the private institutions offering the Bachelor of Science in Nursing in the Islamic City of Marawi. The descriptive-correlational research design was used in the study. There were 120 nursing students who served as the respondents, and they were identified through stratified random sampling. Researcher-made questionnaires were utilized in gathering data. Mean, Standard Deviation, and Pearson Product-Moment Correlation Coefficient were the statistical tools used in analyzing the data gathered. Results showed a high level of sleep deprivation among the respondents with the number of academic and related learning experiences they had to comply with. Also, the respondents claimed having severe anxiety during clinical exposure, being apprehensive of the outcomes of their close contacts with patients who could have serious illnesses or other healthcare workers who might have contracted contagious diseases. Nevertheless, the nursing students’ psycho-emotional state was high. They sustained a desirable level of well-being to enable them to withstand the rigors of the nursing profession. The study further disclosed that the level of the nursing students’ sleep deprivation was influential to their clinical exposure anxiety and psycho-emotional state. Without adequate sleep, the respondents became prone to anxiety in clinical settings but still developed a sound psychological and emotional conditions. The study concludes that while nursing students can be experiencing difficulties being deprived of quality sleep and experiencing anxiety, they have been resilient in pushing themselves toward the nursing profession.