ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study was to review the stress levels and the stress management skills of admitted baccalaureate nursing students at a rural public university. Subjects completed a questionnaire to estimate stress levels, causes of stress, stress management skills, and the use of stress management skills. Stress levels by gender and group were compared using analysis of variance (ANOVA). No significant differences in stress levels by semester were discovered. A significant difference was discovered when stress levels were compared by gender. Subjects also responded that students should be taught stress management skills upon admission into the program. Additionally, stress management skills should be reinforced each semester to help students identify causes and better manage their stress. Research in the area of stress and nursing students has been sporadically attempted through the years. However, focus on stress, gender, and program placement is far less evident. The purpose of this study was to answer the following research question: What are the stress levels and the stress management skills of baccalaureate nursing students? To that end, a questionnaire was developed to identify the stress and stress management skills of the baccalaureate nursing students with the results analyzed for frequency and percentages. This study looked not only at the stress levels and stress management skills of the baccalaureate nursing student, but also took into account the subject's gender and program placement.
