Mindful Awareness and Perceived Stress in Nursing Students

Objective:The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between mindfulness and perceived stress levels of nursing students and the relationship between them. Method:This descriptive study was conducted in the health college of a state university. Students studying in the department of nursing and going into clinical practice were included in the study (n=410). Data were collected using a questionnaire form, the perceived stress scale for nursing students, and the mindful attention awareness scale. Results:The mean age of the participants was 20.73±1.45 years, 26.6% were in their third year, and 69.9% were female. 76.1% of the students stated that they willingly preferred the nursing department. The mean scale scores were 98.81±9.76 for the perceived stress scale for nursing students and 58.97±11.29 for the mindful attention awareness scale. A negative correlation was found between the total mean scores of the scales (p<0.05). It was found that the mindful awareness scores of the students who willingly preferred the nursing department were high (p<0.05). It was determined that the perceived stress scores of the fourth grade, female students, and students who did not willingly choose the nursing department were higher (p<0.05). Conclusion:The mindful awareness of the students was slightly above the middle level, and their perceived stress was high. It is recommended that the participants’ mindful awareness levels should be increased with cognitive and behavioral therapies to reduce their perceived stress.