Exploring gender dynamics and predictors of resilience among nursing students

Aim

This study examined the gender differences in contributing factors to resilience among university nursing students, controlling for the age and year of study.

Background

Resilience is a behavioral pattern learned through personal and professional experiences. Resilience is crucial in nursing education and shapes clinical proficiency and care quality that may best target during college years, preparing nursing students for their future careers.

Design

Cross-sectional design was used in the current study

Methods

Online surveys were used to collect the data from 623 nursing students. Validated instruments assessed resilience, decision fatigue, spiritual well-being, stress overload and spiritual and religious coping. Two regression models were generated to examine gender dynamics in predicting resilience.

Results

The results showed that more than half of our sample has low resilience (n = 285, 45.7 %). The regression model significantly predicted more than 60 % of the variance in resilience among male nursing students (F(3, 234) = 123.87, p <.001), with religious well-being, negative spiritual and religious coping and stress overload being significant predictors in the model. The regression model predicting resilience among female nursing students showed that the model significantly predicted about half of the variance (F(4, 378) = 123.87, p <.001) with positive spiritual and religious coping, existential well-being, negative spiritual and religious coping and stress overload being significant contributors in the model.

Conclusion

Gender disparities echoed existing literature, advocating gender-sensitive strategies in promoting resilience. Early resilience nurturing through diverse modalities can foster a resilient nursing cohort adept at tackling multifaceted healthcare challenges.