STRESS LEVELS AMONG FIRST-YEAR DIPLOMA NURSING STUDENTS IN BLORA, INDONESIA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.31983/jahmt.v8i1.14879Keywords:
nursing students, stress level, freshman, demographic characteristics, academic adaptationAbstract
First-year nursing students are particularly susceptible to stress due to academic transitions and the demands of early clinical exposure. This study aimed to examine stress levels among freshman nursing students based on demographic characteristics and educational background. A descriptive cross-sectional design was employed, involving 149 respondents selected through simple random sampling. Data were collected using a validated and reliable stress questionnaire, with reliability coefficients ranging from 0.78 to 0.92.
The findings indicated that most respondents were aged 18–19 years (96%), female (90%), and had a senior high school background (69%). The majority of students reported moderate (52.3%) and high levels of stress (41.6%), with a mean score of 82.47 ± 13.7. Only a small proportion experienced low (5.4%) and very high stress levels (0.7%).
These findings suggest that freshman nursing students experience substantial stress, particularly during the initial adaptation period. Demographic factors, including age, gender, and educational background, may contribute to variations in stress levels. Early interventions, such as structured academic orientation and stress management programs, are recommended to enhance coping capacity and mitigate potential adverse effects on mental health and academic performance.
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