Clinical Stress and Coping Strategies among Student Nurses in a Private College of Nursing

Abstract

Aims: Nursing education involves a high-pressure transition from theoretical learning to clinical practice, which often impacts student well-being. This study aimed to determine the relationship between clinical stress and the coping strategies employed by nursing students at a private college in Iloilo City, Philippines. Specifically, it sought to assess the levels of clinical stress related to patient care and academic workload, identify the utilization levels of various coping strategies (self-concept, physiological, role function, and interdependence), and test the hypothesis that no significant relationship exists between these variables. Study Design: the research utilized a descriptive cross-sectional research design combined with a survey methodology to objectively analyze existing phenomena without manipulating variables. Place and duration of Study: the study was conducted at a private institution in west timawa, molo, iloilo city, during the second semester of the 2025-2026 academic year, specifically from january to february 2026. Methodology: data were gathered from 306 second- to fourth-year nursing students selected through stratified random sampling. Standardized instruments were used, including the clinical learning environment questionnaire for stress (cronbach’s alpha = 0.75) and the perceived intrapersonal and interpersonal coping strategies questionnaire (cronbach’s alpha = 0.82). Statistical analysis included frequency and percentage, mean and standard deviation, and spearman’s rho (non-parametric) for correlational testing due to non-normal data distribution confirmed by shapiro-wilk. Results: findings revealed that respondents experienced an average overall level of clinical stress (mean = 3.01), with "assignments and workloads" (mean = 3.53) being a higher stressor than "taking care of patients" (mean = 2.49). Conversely, students demonstrated a high overall level of coping strategies (mean = 3.68). Inferential analysis using spearman's rho showed that clinical stress, as a whole, did not significantly relate to overall coping strategies (p = 0.352), thus failing to reject the null hypothesis at the macro level. However, specific stressors showed distinct relationships: patient care stress had a weak positive relationship with role function, (p< 0.001), while assignment-related stress showed a negative relationship with self-concept. Conclusion: nursing students generally experience manageable levels of stress but prioritize academic compliance (grades) over clinical immersion. The lack of a significant macro-level relationship suggests that students' coping is reactive rather than proactive, indicating a need to integrate consistent stress management and coping skills training into the nursing curriculum to enhance student well-being and educational outcomes.