Assessing Stress and Coping Mechanisms Among UNIMAS Nursing Students During Clinical Placements: A Cross-Sectional Study
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Universiti Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS)
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Introduction: Clinical placements are an essential component of nursing education, but are often associated with increased psychological stress among students. Stress during clinical practice can negatively impact students’ mental health, learning outcomes, and professional development. Therefore, understanding how nursing students cope with stress is crucial in creating a supportive learning environment. Objective: This study aimed to assess the levels of stress and identify coping mechanisms among undergraduate nursing students at University Malaysia Sarawak (UNIMAS) during clinical placements. Methodology: A cross-sectional study was conducted among 137 undergraduate nursing students from Year 2 to Year 4, selected through simple random sampling. A structured questionnaire was used, which included the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and the Coping Behaviour Inventory (CBI). Data were analysed using SPSS version 27. Result: The study revealed that the majority of students experienced moderate to high levels of stress, with a mean PSS score of 87.11 ±16.71. The most prominent stressors were related to patient care responsibilities, assignments, workload, and interactions with teachers and nursing staff. Many students also cited stress from a lack of professional knowledge and skills, peer relationships, and the clinical environment. In terms of coping, students employed a range of strategies, including problem-solving, avoidance, staying optimistic, and transference. The overall mean coping score was 62.45 ± 9.91, indicating that students actively used coping strategies in response to stress. A Spearman correlation analysis showed significant relationships between stressors and coping mechanisms. Avoidance was positively correlated with stress from all domains, especially with stress from teachers and iv nursing staff (rs = .611, p < .001), and peers and daily life (rs = .495, p < .001). Problem-solving showed weaker but still significant correlations with stress from patient care, assignments, and peer-related stress. Similarly, staying optimistic and transference strategies were also associated with various stressors, but to a lesser degree. These findings suggest that while students attempt to cope actively with stress, reliance on avoidance, often considered maladaptive, was common in situations involving interpersonal or institutional pressures. Conclusion: These findings provide essential insights into the psychological challenges faced by nursing students and highlight the need for interventions that promote effective coping strategies, particularly during clinical training.