Biomaterial Database

Experience of stress in psychiatric nursing students in Ireland. 2008

George Nolan, and Denis Ryan

Nursing Practice Development Unit, Health Service Executive West, Limerick. george.nolan@hse.ie

OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to explore the experience of stress among psychiatric nursing students undertaking their 'internship' or final year of a four-year degree course. METHODS A questionnaire was administered to all 28 students in the intern year in conjunction with the 28-item version of the General Health Questionnaire. Semi-structured interviews were subsequently undertaken with four volunteers from a range of clinical locations. RESULTS Approximately 48% of respondents reported levels of stress above the threshold score as described by Goldberg (1978), indicating levels of distress unlikely to remit without intervention. Interview data suggested that the main sources of stress during the intern year were associated with relationships in the clinical environment; clinical workload; matching competence and responsibility; and simultaneous clinical and academic demands. CONCLUSIONS The findings should be interpreted with caution and understood within the context of the dynamic nature of nurse education in Ireland. However, the issues raised demand further enquiry to examine the structure of educational programmes, the nature of the work and the organisational culture in which the work is carried out.

UI	MeSH Term	Description	Entries
D007397	Internship, Nonmedical	Advanced programs of training to meet certain professional requirements in fields other than medicine or dentistry, e.g., pharmacology, nutrition, nursing, etc.	Residency, Nonmedical,Internship, Non-Medical,Internships, Non-Medical,Internships, Nonmedical,Non-Medical Internship,Non-Medical Internships,Nonmedical Internship,Nonmedical Internships,Nonmedical Residencies,Nonmedical Residency,Residencies, Non-Medical,Residencies, Nonmedical,Residency, Non-Medical,Internship, Non Medical,Internships, Non Medical,Non Medical Internship,Non Medical Internships,Non-Medical Residencies,Non-Medical Residency,Residencies, Non Medical,Residency, Non Medical
D007494	Ireland	A country in western Europe, occupying five-sixths of the island of Ireland in the North Atlantic Ocean, west of Great Britain. The capital is Dublin.	Eire,Ireland, Republic of,Irish Free State
D008297	Male		Males
D011568	Psychiatric Nursing	A specialty concerned with the application of psychiatric principles in caring for the mentally ill. It also includes the nursing care provided the mentally ill patient.	Mental Health Nursing,Nursing, Psychiatric,Psychosocial Nursing,Nursing, Mental Health,Nursing, Psychosocial
D011795	Surveys and Questionnaires	Collections of data obtained from voluntary subjects. The information usually takes the form of answers to questions, or suggestions.	Community Survey,Nonrespondent,Questionnaire,Questionnaires,Respondent,Survey,Survey Method,Survey Methods,Surveys,Baseline Survey,Community Surveys,Methodology, Survey,Nonrespondents,Questionnaire Design,Randomized Response Technique,Repeated Rounds of Survey,Respondents,Survey Methodology,Baseline Surveys,Design, Questionnaire,Designs, Questionnaire,Methods, Survey,Questionnaire Designs,Questionnaires and Surveys,Randomized Response Techniques,Response Technique, Randomized,Response Techniques, Randomized,Survey, Baseline,Survey, Community,Surveys, Baseline,Surveys, Community,Techniques, Randomized Response
D002983	Clinical Competence	The capability to perform acceptably those duties directly related to patient care.	Clinical Skills,Competence, Clinical,Clinical Competency,Clinical Skill,Competency, Clinical,Skill, Clinical,Skills, Clinical,Clinical Competencies,Competencies, Clinical
D004508	Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate	A four-year program in nursing education in a college or university leading to a B.S.N. (Bachelor of Science in Nursing). Graduates are eligible for state examination for licensure as RN (Registered Nurse).	External Degree Programs, Nursing,Nursing Education, Baccalaureate,Baccalaureate Nursing Education,Baccalaureate Nursing Educations,Education, Baccalaureate Nursing,Educations, Baccalaureate Nursing,Nursing Educations, Baccalaureate
D005260	Female		Females
D006272	Health Facility Environment	Physical surroundings or conditions of a hospital or other health facility and influence of these factors on patients and staff.	Environment, Health Facility,Family Planning, Environment,Environments, Health Facility,Facility Environment, Health,Health Facility Environments
D006301	Health Services Needs and Demand	Health services required by a population or community as well as the health services that the population or community is able and willing to pay for.	Health Services Needs,Needs,Needs and Demand, Health Services,Target Population,Health Services Need,Need, Health Services,Needs, Health Services,Population, Target,Populations, Target,Target Populations