Stressors affecting nursing students in Pakistan.
AIM
To determine factors contributing to stress experienced by preregistration nursing students in Pakistan, using the Stressors in Nursing Students scale. The aim was to explore the psychometric properties of this instrument and to investigate the effect of a range of demographic variables on the perception of stressors in nursing students.


BACKGROUND
Nursing is a stressful profession, and nursing students may experience more stress due to competing demands and challenges of nursing education, assessment, placements and worries about employment prospects.


METHODS
In this cross-sectional survey, data from 726 nursing students from 11 schools of nursing in Karachi, Pakistan, were collected using a questionnaire. Data were analysed using descriptive as well inferential statistics. An exploratory factor analysis was also conducted.


RESULTS
There was no apparent factor structure to the Stressors in Nursing Students scale, unlike in previous studies. The total score on the Stressors in Nursing Students scale was related to gender with males scoring higher. The score generally increased over 4 years of the programme, and students in private schools of nursing scored higher than those in public schools of nursing.


CONCLUSION
Nursing students in Pakistan do not appear to differentiate between different stressors, and this may be due to cultural differences in the students and to the structure of the programme and the articulation between the academic and clinical aspects. Likewise, cultural reasons may account for differences between stress experienced by male and female students.


IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING AND POLICY
The fact that scores on the Stressors in Nursing Students scale increased over 4 years of the programme and males scored higher than females should alert nursing schools and policymakers related to nursing education and workforce to pay attention to prevent attrition from nursing programmes.
['Watson|R|R|', 'Rehman|S|S|', 'Ali|P A|PA|']
D000293:Adolescent D000328:Adult D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D003479:Curriculum D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate D005260:Female D006801:Humans D008297:Male D008875:Middle Aged D010154:Pakistan D011594:Psychometrics D012959:Socioeconomic Factors D013315:Stress, Psychological D013338:Students, Nursing D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires D055815:Young Adult
Stressors Nurses Nursing Students Stress Psychometric