The Relationship of Stressors for Nursing Students in Practical Training of Pediatric Nursing with Their Stress-Coping Ability and Stress-Coping Behavior

Abstract

This study identifies the factors that cause stress for students who engage in practical training for pediatric nursing, clarifies these stressors’ relationship with the students’ stress-coping ability and stress-coping behavior, and considers how practical training should be conducted for nursing students. For this study, an anonymous questionnaire survey was conducted among 109 students at four nursing colleges and vocational schools in the Kanto Koshinetsu and Tokai regions. The students were enrolled in practical training for pediatric nursing during the 2019 and 2020 academic years. Three stressors were identified as a result of a factor analysis of the students’ stress. These stressors were then examined with a focus on their relationship with the students’ stress-coping ability and stress-coping behavior. It was found that, among the three stressors, “autonomous care of pediatric patients and their families” and “coordination of practical training with ward nurses” correlated with the “sense of meaningfulness,” which contributes to the students’ stress-coping ability. It was also found that “autonomous care of pediatric patients and their families,” “coordination of practical training with ward nurses,” and the “implementation process of nursing for pediatric patients” correlated with “emotional expression involving others,” a subordinate concept of the Brief Scales for Coping Profile for workers (BSCP). Instructors should encourage students to reflect on their coursework and approach students in an empathetic manner.