Undergraduate Student Stress, Classroom Engagement, and Self-Directed Learning Postcurricular Revision.

Abstract

One way of promoting student success in a nursing program is through curricular revision. However, significant curricular revision coupled with a simultaneous move to active learning strategies can have an impact on the educational and emotional well-being of students. This descriptive correlational study examined student stress, engagement, and self-directed learning in a convenience sample of junior-level nursing students (N = 164) after a transition to a new curriculum and active learning methods. The researchers identified moderate stress levels in students, which affected both classroom engagement and self-directed learning. Select demographic variables also impacted study outcome variables. The findings of this study highlight the need for interventions to promote stress reduction and self-care for students. Faculty and curriculum committees must remain vigilant when restructuring the curriculum ladder to decrease the academic burden on already stressed students. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(10):566-569.].