Mental Health Promotion among Nursing Students

Abstract

TextoINTRODUCTION Background and significance of the study: In a globalization trend, the world changes every single day, especially in regards to the environment, social functions and cultural aspects. These changes could impact the stress level of people and stimulate their adaptation. Stress is an adaptive phenomenon of human beings which, to the higher degree, contributes to their survival, to an adequate output in their activities and to an effective performance in many phases of life (Pades Jimenez and Homar Amengual, 2006). According to psychoanalytic theory, individual adaptation is the emotional adaptive process and ego defense mechanisms of human beings for dealing with stress (Freud, 1993). Stress, defined by the interaction between the environment and an individual, is experienced when demands from the environment exceed available resources. Overwhelming with stress and anxiety, persons could respond in several manners according to cognitive appraisals and coping competencies (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984). Situations in the university especially during the academic lives of nursing students, is considered as one of several areas for stress exposure. It exists for students in both the clinical and the academic fields of the studying program (Lazarus and Folkman, 1984). Preparing to become a nurse was found to be significantly emotionally stressful and a possible risk to the well-being of students (Tully, 2004). It involves meeting conflicting demands, feeling over worked, feeling unprepared and seeking respect and support from one's faculty (Magnussen and Amundson, 2003). In a study, financial constraints and academic-related concerns emerged as the most stressful areas for the students (Timmins and Kaliszer, 2002). Nursing student who fulfill their clinical practices are exposed to symptoms specific to nursing in the field of stress (Pades Jimenez and Homar Amengual, 2006). Initial clinical experience for new nursing students can be stressful and intimidating, particularly for young students having no prior healthcare experience (Sprengel and Job, 2004). Additionally, characteristics of nursing profession are significantly and directly related to human health. Therefore, nursing students need to be aware and to be able to utilize the nursing theoretical aspects for high quality clinical practicing. Moreover, nursing shifts and ward rotations, in order to fulfill the patient's needs 24 hours a day also expose nursing students to stress that dir…