Comparative study between male and female nursing students regarding Clinical and Academic Stress

Abstract

Introduction: Nursing students face academic and clinical stress from difficult coursework, assessments, and academic demands, as well as clinical pressures from obtaining care experience. The pressures can cause fear of errors, anxiety, and patient well-being worries, affecting students' mental health and nursing preparation.
Methods: A facility-based cross-sectional study design was employed.113 convenience samples of nursing students were allocated in this study. The study was conducted at the Faculty of Nursing at Prince Sattam University. Perceived clinical setting and academic stress questionnaires were used. 
Results: 113 nurse students were included in the present study; the mean age of the student sample was 21 years old. A correlation was reported between academic stress and the age of male (F=3.526, P=0.037) and female students (F=13.538, P<0.001). 73.6% of male students reported that the reason for increased stress in the clinical setting was fear of making a mistake. There was a strong relationship between types of clinical settings, clinical setting hours per week, and academic, and clinical setting stress. 
Conclusions: This present study portrayed that Clinical hours per week and clinical type were significant predictors of increasing academic and clinical stress in male and female nursing students. So, the study recommends developing strategies and course educational curriculum structure before students are sent to clinical areas for nurses' students to improve their capabilities and cope with more clinical and academic stress reduction.