Methods to Reduce Anxiety in Nursing Students

METHODS TO REDUCE ANXIETY IN NURSING STUDENTS

Introduction:Nursing is stressful, and nursing students also have the additional pressures particularly for young students having no prior healthcare experience, and uncertainties shared with all academic students.

Objective:qDiscuss some methods to reduce anxiety in nursing students.

ar 2008-2009, our requirement for the course was to find e on nurse students, so we suggest several skills for stress m

Whety? nxi y nurs ve a ing i t ha sas den tres sful g stu sin job? Nur

Analyzing the questionP: student nurses with anxiety. I: stress management skills. C: No stress man. skills O: reduce anxiety.Question Sentence: In student nurse with anxiety, do stress management skills reduce anxiety?

Search Strategy1.Analyzing the question. 2.Generating the word list. 3.Linking word lists( AND, OR, NOT). 4.Search databases: Google scholar. Cochrane library. Pub Med.

Generating the word listP:Student nurse withanxiety.Anxious, worry, student anxiety, nurse anxiety.

I: Stress managementskills.

Cognitive, feedback, supportive, environment, Personnel support. Same as intervention

C:Same as intervention O:Reduce anxiety.

Anxiety reduction.

Linking word lists( AND, OR, NOT)

s g word link in

many ( t , w e go

related e videnc 0) e

to

.H s topi c th i

o

The effectiveness of current approaches to workplace stress management in the nursing profession: an evidence based literature review

The effectiveness of current approaches to workplace stress management for nurses was assessed through a systematic review. Seven randomised controlled trials and three prospective cohort studies assessing the effectiveness of a stress management programmes were identified and reviewed. is more evidence for the effectiveness of programmes based on:A. B.

There

providing personal support environmental management to reduce stressors.

METHODSA

systematic review was conducted. following inclusion criteria were used:-

The

1.The subjects are nurses. 2.Two stress management interventions are compared to each other, or a stress management intervention is compared to a placebo or no intervention control in a prospective way.

METHODS3.The stress management intervention is clearly described. 4.The outcome is change in individual levels of stress and/or of symptoms or squeal of stress measured by an instrument with evidence of validity.

RESULTS

A- Personnel support interventions:1- An exercise and a music programme was examined using two treatment groups and a no intervention control which was waiting for the active intervention to be available. and music programmes are potentially effective, but this should be viewed with caution.

the exercise

RESULTS

A- Personnel support interventions:2- A relaxation training programme was examined. The programme is considered to focus on personnel support. A placebo intervention consisted of an equal number of lectures on theory analysis. treatment group showed a greater decrease in stress than the placebo group.

the

RESULTS

A- Personnel support interventions:3- This study investigated a cognitive, behavioural, and physiological programme. It was compared to a placebo, self awareness programme involving self writing and identification of stressors, and a no intervention control. it would be impossible to conclude whether the programme is effective or not.

Therefore,

RESULTS

B- Environmental management interventions:1- This study examined the effect of providing structured training and a regular support programme. was increased on all subscales postintervention in both the treatment and control groups.

Stress

RESULTS

B- Environmental management interventions:2- This study examined the effect of introducing individualised nursing care. positive effect should be viewed with caution.

The

Summary of results

Among the response support interventions, one approach focusing on cognitive techniques was determined to be effective, although evidence was weak; three approaches on exercise, music, and relaxation training were potentially effective; one approach of social support education is questioned but possibly effective; and two are impossible to draw conclusions after the critical appraisals.

Summary of results One

study focusing on environmental change

(introducing different nursing method), the study is classified as possibly effective. there

is more evidence for the effectiveness of

personal support than environmental management for reducing workplace stress in the nursing profession. However, it is not possible at this stage to determine what kind of approach is more effective, because the number of studies is too small to compare different approaches

Recommendation It

is not possible to recommend any particular approach for practical implementation because the number of studies is too small to determine it. However, there is more evidence for the effectiveness of personnel support than environmental management. Moreover all programmes reviewed here appeared at least not harmful. This review strongly suggests the need for experimental research on stress management programmes.

C Mimura and P Griffiths Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kings College London, UK

Correspondence to: Dr P Griffiths, Primary and Intermedicate Care Section, Florence Nightingale School of Nursing and Midwifery, Kings College London, Waterloo Road, London SE1 8WA, UK; Accepted 19 June 2002