Table 4.
Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) among nursing students (N = 125).
| PSS | Never | Rarely | Sometimes | frequently | Always | Mean ± SD |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 Stress from taking care of patients | 1.56 ± .45 | |||||
| Lack of experience and ability to provide nursing care and make judgements | 12 | 7.2 | 38.4 | 24.8 | 17.6 | 1.2 ± 1 |
| Do not know how to help patients with physio-psycho-social problems | 20 | 10.4 | 28 | 20.8 | 20.8 | 1.45 ± 1.17 |
| Unable to meet one's expectations. | 24.8 | 14.4 | 27.2 | 20 | 13.6 | 1.16 ± 1.24 |
| Unable to provide appropriate responses to teachers' and patients' questions. | 17.6 | 8 | 34.4 | 24 | 16 | 1.3 ± 1.1 |
| Worried about not being trusted or accepted by patients or patients' families. | 11.2 | 6.4 | 28 | 34.4 | 20 | 1.21 ± 1.11 |
| Unable to provide patients with good nursing care. | 9.6 | 8.8 | 29.6 | 28.8 | 23.2 | 1.34 ± 1.3 |
| Do not know how to communicate with patients. | 5.6 | 3.2 | 16 | 54.4 | 20.8 | 1.82 ± 1.3 |
| Experience difficulties in changing from the role of a student to that of a nurse. | 7.2 | 6.4 | 22.4 | 48 | 16 | 1.4 ± 1.1 |
| 2 Stress from assignments and workload | 1.6 ± .43 | |||||
| Worry about bad grades. | 12 | 9.6 | 21.6 | 17.6 | 39.2 | 1.56 ± 1.32 |
| Experience pressure from the nature and quality of clinical practice. | 12.8 | 21.6 | 31.2 | 21.6 | 12.8 | 1.09 ± 1.23 |
| Feel that one's performance does not meet teachers' expectations. | 13.6 | 17.6 | 28 | 32 | 8.8 | 1.34 ± 1.56 |
| Feel that clinical practice requirements exceed one's physical and emotional endurance. | 12.8 | 20.8 | 25.6 | 29.6 | 11.2 | 1.45 ± 1.12 |
| Feel that dull and inflexible clinical practice affects one's family and social life. | 13.6 | 14.4 | 20 | 43.2 | 8.8 | 1.14 ± 1.20 |
| 3 Stress from lack of professional knowledge and skills | 1.24 ± .45 | |||||
| Unfamiliar with medical history and terms. | 34.4 | 20 | 24 | 14.4 | 7.2 | 1.45 ± 1.11 |
| Unfamiliar with professional nursing skills. | 18.4 | 21.6 | 50.4 | 7.2 | 2.4 | 1.21 ± 1.34 |
| Unfamiliar with patients' diagnoses and treatments. | 33.6 | 20.8 | 26.4 | 13.6 | 5.6 | 1.45 ± 1.12 |
| 4 Stress from area of practice | 1.47 ± .49 | |||||
| Feel stressed in the hospital environment where clinical practice takes place | 27.2 | 12.8 | 27.2 | 16.8 | 16 | 1.67 ± 1.34 |
| Unfamiliar with the ward facilities. | 24 | 11.2 | 32 | 23.2 | 9.6 | 1.13 ± 1.23 |
| Feel stressed from rapid changes in patients' conditions. | 33.6 | 15.2 | 17.6 | 16 | 17.6 | 1.67 ± 1.34 |
| 5 Stress from peers and daily life | 1.89 ± .67 | |||||
| Experience competition from peers in school and clinical practice. | 14.4 | 42.4 | 19.2 | 10.4 | 13.6 | 1.56 ± 1.23 |
| Feel pressure from teachers who evaluate students' performance by comparison. | 14.4 | 30.4 | 22.4 | 13.6 | 19.2 | 1.65 ± 1.45 |
| Feel that clinical practice affects involvement in extracurricular activities. | 16 | 51.2 | 17.6 | 7.2 | 8 | 1.45 ± 1.34 |
| Cannot get along with peers. | 12 | 64 | 12.8 | 4 | 7.2 | 1.67 ± 1.26 |
| 6 Stress from teachers and nursing staff | 1.45 ± .79 | |||||
| Experience discrepancy between theory and practice. | 13.6 | 22.4 | 25.6 | 14.4 | 24 | 1.45 ± 1.67 |
| Do not know how to discuss patients' illness with teachers or nursing personnel. | 23.2 | 34.4 | 24.8 | 10.4 | 7.2 | 1.34 ± 1.11 |
| Feel stressed because teachers' instructions differ from one's expectations. | 24.8 | 23.2 | 23.2 | 14.4 | 14.4 | 1.28 ± 1.29 |
| Doctors lack empathy and are unwilling to help. | 18.4 | 26.4 | 29.6 | 15.2 | 10.4 | 1.18 ± 1.20 |
| Feel that teachers do not evaluate students fairly. | 16 | 53.6 | 14.4 | 5.6 | 10.4 | 1.34 ± 1.67 |
| Lack of care and guidance from teacher. | 48.8 | 14.4 | 18.4 | 8 | 10.4 | 1.47 ± 1.25 |
| Total | 1.54 ± 1.34 | |||||