The effect of perceived stress and personality types of nursing college students on attitudes towards nursing profession during Covid-19 pandemic

Abstract

ABSTRACT The study aimed to evaluate the effect of nursing students’ personality types and perceived stress on their attitudes towards the nursing profession during the Covid-19 pandemic. This is a descriptive and cross-sectional study. The study consisted of the first-, second-, third- and fourth-year nursing students in the Nursing Faculty (Branch A) at a state university located in Eastern Anatolia of Turkey during the academic year 2019–2020. Sample selection was not made in the study, and 359 nursing students who agreed to participate in the study and completed the online questionnaire were reached. The data were collected between June and July 2020 via an online questionnaire form. The mean age of the nursing students was 20.88 ± 1.94. Of the students, 86.9% were female and 35.1% were second-year students. There was a positive significant relationship between the mean PSS and personality types – helper and romantic; however, a negative relationship was found between the mean PSS and personality types – adventurer and peacemaker (p < .05). In this study, a positive relationship was found between the mean total ASNP and ASNP subscale scores – properties of nursing profession and all personality types (p = .000). The findings of this study showed that some demographic variables influenced the stress perceived by nursing students during the Covid-19 pandemic, their personality types and their attitudes towards the nursing profession. All personality types positively affected the nursing students’ attitudes towards their profession. While the helper and romantic personality types had a positive effect on the students’ perceived stress.