Shadia Fathy Mahmoud Mohammed¹, Rehab Fathy Abdel Hady Ghaith^1,, Alia Ibrahim Mohamed²

Background: Nursing training is a stressful process. The effects of stress on nursing students have been well documented. High perceived stress levels and lack of effective coping processes could be a barrier to achieve the challenges of profession. Aim of the study: Assess relation between stress and coping strategies as perceived by nursing students during clinical practice. Design: a descriptive design was utilized to conduct this study. Setting: the current study was conducted at Technical Institute of Nursing, Zagazig University, Sharkia Governorate. Sample: a cluster random sample of 221 nurse students were included in this study. Tools: Three tools were used to collect data: demographic data questionnaire & Student Nurses Stress Index, Brief Cope Inventory and Emotional Approach Coping Scale. Results: More than three quarters of the studied sample had low total stress, all of them used low emotional-oriented coping and more than two thirds of studied nurse students used low problem-oriented coping. A highly positive significant correlation was detected between nurse students’ stress and emotion-oriented coping and emotion processing. Also, a highly positive significant correlation was found between nurse students’ problem-oriented coping and emotion-oriented coping and emotion processing. Conclusion: Coping strategies had significant impact on lowering level of stress. Recommendations: Develop stress management program for nursing students to reduce levels of stress and develop proper coping strategies.

coping strategies, nursing student, stress