Coping with clinical related stress experienced by undergraduate nursing students: A scoping review

Primary Objective

To identify the strategies used by undergraduate nursing students to cope with clinical related stress.

Background

Learning in the clinical environment may be stressful for nursing students. Effective coping mechanisms are imperative given that stress may compromise students’ well-being, ability to learn, and patient care. A scoping review was conducted using the Joanna Briggs Institute framework.

Method

Primary research sources and dissertations were searched using the CINHAL, PubMed, PsycINFO, Google Scholar, and Thesis Global databases as well as an ancestry approach. Eligibility criteria included primary research on undergraduate nursing students’ coping with clinical related stress in an experiential learning environment.

Results

From a total of 573 identified articles, 35 met the inclusion criteria. The included studies were primarily conducted using quantitative designs, originated from various countries, and focused on students’ clinical experiences from varying years. The most frequently used coping mechanism was problem-focused approaches. Coping strategies employed by students were often conceptualized as dichotomous, such as effective or in-effective, rather than dependent on contextual circumstances. Coping as a concept was primarily explored using measurement tools that limited understanding the processes students used to engage in problem-solving.

Conclusion

This review highlighted a gap in the trajectory of “how” students cope with stress in clinical practice. Further research is needed to inform the development of personalized tools and skills that can be used by students.