Abstract
Nursing students are exposed to trauma, toxic stress, and traumatic experiences during their education, contributing to mental health challenges such as anxiety, burnout, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Gilroy et al., 2024). These experiences have significant implications for students' learning, academic performance, retention in nursing programs, and ultimately patient care. However, how these stressors and mental health symptoms evolve over the course of nursing education remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to describe changes in trauma exposure, risk and protective factors, trauma symptoms, and mental health among undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students as they progressed through their programs beginning in Spring 2023. Baseline data were collected from nursing students at two schools of nursing: School 1 in Spring 2023 and School 2 in Spring 2024. Students completed a survey that used validated instruments. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used to describe and analyze changes over time. Data from School 1 showed significant increases in PTSD symptoms, depression, and burnout from Spring 2023 to Spring 2024. Burnout rose significantly as students progressed in their nursing program. Anxiety levels notably increased between the Junior 1 to Junior 2 and Junior 2 to Senior 1 cohorts. General self-efficacy showed a significant increase from Junior 2 to Senior 1, indicating its potential as a protective factor, though this was not evident in earlier stages. Additionally, comparisons between the two schools revealed similar trends in trauma exposure, mental health symptoms, and protective factors, despite differences in geographic location, institutional type (public vs. private), and sample demographics. Nursing students are at heightened risk for symptoms of burnout, anxiety, depression, and PTSD, which may impair their academic success and quality of patient care. Burnout appears to escalate as students advance through their programs, with anxiety emerging as a more significant issue in later stages. Conversely, general self-efficacy increases in later years, suggesting a potential protective role against trauma and stress. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions at different stages of nursing education to support student well-being and academic success, ultimately improving patient care outcomes.
Notes
References:
Gilroy, H., Anderson, K., Berry, D. M., Hirsch, S., Johnson Makiya, D., & Ratcliff, C. (2024). Stress and Trauma Among Nurses in Development (STAND): A Descriptive Study. Issues in Mental Health Nursing, 1-10.
Labrague, L. J., McEnroe-Petitte, D. M., & Leocadio, M. C. (2018). Stress, stressors, and stress responses of student nurses in a government nursing school. Health Science Journal, 12(1), 1-7.
Shiau, S., Chen, A. C., Chen, C. H., & Lee, H. F. (2020). The relationships between resilience, social support, coping, and nursing students' anxiety and burnout. Journal of Professional Nursing, 36(3), 163-171.
Turner, K., & McCarthy, V. L. (2017). Stress and anxiety among nursing students: A review of intervention strategies in literature. Nurse Education in Practice, 29, 102-110.
Chuang, N. C., & Wu, F. L. (2022). Understanding nursing students' mental health: The mediating role of coping strategies in stress and burnout. Journal of Nursing Research, 30(2), 102-109.
Sigma Membership
Non-member
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Health Equity or Social Determinants of Health, Stress and Coping, Teaching and Learning Strategies
Recommended Citation
Gilroy, Heidi; Mayer, Kala; Ratcliff, Chelsea; Berry, Devon M.; Rothacker-Peyton, Sally Stephanie; Ahn, Alice; and Anderson, Kennedy, "Stress and Trauma in Nursing Students Over Time: A Longitudinal Study" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 119.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/119
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Stress and Trauma in Nursing Students Over Time: A Longitudinal Study
Seattle, Washington, USA
Nursing students are exposed to trauma, toxic stress, and traumatic experiences during their education, contributing to mental health challenges such as anxiety, burnout, and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) (Gilroy et al., 2024). These experiences have significant implications for students' learning, academic performance, retention in nursing programs, and ultimately patient care. However, how these stressors and mental health symptoms evolve over the course of nursing education remains largely unexplored. This study aimed to describe changes in trauma exposure, risk and protective factors, trauma symptoms, and mental health among undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students as they progressed through their programs beginning in Spring 2023. Baseline data were collected from nursing students at two schools of nursing: School 1 in Spring 2023 and School 2 in Spring 2024. Students completed a survey that used validated instruments. Descriptive statistics and paired t-tests were used to describe and analyze changes over time. Data from School 1 showed significant increases in PTSD symptoms, depression, and burnout from Spring 2023 to Spring 2024. Burnout rose significantly as students progressed in their nursing program. Anxiety levels notably increased between the Junior 1 to Junior 2 and Junior 2 to Senior 1 cohorts. General self-efficacy showed a significant increase from Junior 2 to Senior 1, indicating its potential as a protective factor, though this was not evident in earlier stages. Additionally, comparisons between the two schools revealed similar trends in trauma exposure, mental health symptoms, and protective factors, despite differences in geographic location, institutional type (public vs. private), and sample demographics. Nursing students are at heightened risk for symptoms of burnout, anxiety, depression, and PTSD, which may impair their academic success and quality of patient care. Burnout appears to escalate as students advance through their programs, with anxiety emerging as a more significant issue in later stages. Conversely, general self-efficacy increases in later years, suggesting a potential protective role against trauma and stress. These findings underscore the need for targeted interventions at different stages of nursing education to support student well-being and academic success, ultimately improving patient care outcomes.
Description
This study aimed to describe changes in trauma exposure, risk and protective factors, trauma symptoms, and mental health among undergraduate Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students as they progressed through their programs beginning in Spring 2023. This study occurred at two U.S. nursing schools located in the South and Pacific Northwest.