Title

PERCEIVED STRESS AND COPING STRATEGIES OF STUDENT NURSES HAVING LIMITED FACE-TO-FACE CLINICAL INTERNSHIP

Author(s)

CAJETA, JOCEL MITZI RESPUESTO

MUSA, PRINCESS SHEENA CORRO

SIA, GRACE INDUCAL

Affiliation

Misamis University

Degree Program

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

Contributor

Duyag, Merasol O.

Ocapan, Jesus Jr. G.

Tojino, Amie G.

Elmedulan, Ginalyn C.

Year

2023

Abstract

Stress has become an essential subject matter in the field of nursing especially during the limited clinical face – to – face internship among nursing students in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) during the pandemic. This study aimed to examine the perceived stress of student nurses and their coping strategies in the clinical practices throughout the COVID-19 pandemic during their clinical internship. A quantitative, descriptive correlational design was utilized in the study. Utilizing sample random sampling, the 105 respondents were being selected in one of the HEIs in Ozamiz City. The study was conducted through a modified survey questionnaire on 105 respondents and analysed using Mean and Pearson Correlation Coefficient test. Findings revealed that emotional stress is the stressor mostly perceived by student nurses during the limited face – to – face clinical internship in HEIs. Furthermore, student nurses during limited face – to – face clinical internship in HEIs employs staying optimistic and problem solving as their coping mechanisms when faced with stressful situations. Moreover, avoidance as a coping strategy consistently showed a significant positive correlation with emotional stress, psychological stress, and psychosocial stress. However, problem solving, staying optimistic, and transference did not exhibit strong associations with any specific type of stress. These findings suggest that avoidance may not be an effective long-term coping strategy for managing stress, while alternative coping strategies should be explored. This study is significant to student nurses as it will enable to determine the degree of stress and coping strategies to reduce stress which may pose threat to their sense of well – being and disrupt their normal functioning during the clinical internship.

Keywords

perceived stress, coping strategies, clinical internship, COVID-19