Experienced Stressors and Coping Strategies Among Iranian Nursing Students

Research Article: Open Source
by Naiemeh Seyedfatemi, Maryam Tafreshi and Hamid Hagani
BMC Nursing 2007, 6:11doi:10.1186/1472-6955-6-11
Published: 13 November 2007

Background:
College students are prone to stress due to the transitional nature of college life. High levels of stress are believed to affect students' health and academic functions. If the stress is not dealt with effectively, feelings of loneliness, nervousness, sleeplessness and worrying may result. Effective coping strategies facilitate the return to a balanced state, reducing the negative effects of stress.

Conclusions:
First year nursing students are exposed to a variety of stressors. Establishing a student support system during the first year and improving it throughout nursing school is necessary to equip nursing students with effective coping skills. Efforts should include counseling helpers and their teachers, strategies that can be called upon in these students' future nursing careers.