First- and Fourth-Year Nursing Students' Perceived Stress Regarding Clinical Practice and the Level of Coping with Humor: Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: Designed as an analytical, cross-sectional one, this study was conducted with the 1st and 4th year nursing students in order to evaluate the perceived level of stress regarding the clinical practice and use of humor as a coping strategy with this condition. Material and Methods: The study population consisted of nursing faculty students, while the sample comprised 1st- and 4th-year students who agreed to participate in the study. The data were collected 503 students in June-August 2022 using the personal information form, the Perceived Stress Scale for Nursing Students, and the Coping with Humor Scale. The obtained data were evaluated in computer environment by percentage calculations, frequency, mean values, standard deviation, ttest, analysis of variance and correlation analysis. Results: The mean scores of 4th-grade students on the humor coping scale (19.75±2.41) were found to be higher than those of 1st-grade students (18.34±3.19), and the difference between them was statistically significant. The mean perceived stress level scores of first-grade students (68.99±12.35) were higher than those of 4th-grade students (52.07±17.59), and the difference between the mean scores was statistically significant. Conclusion: Based on these findings, it was determined that 1st-year students had higher levels of perceived stress regarding clinical practices and did not use humor as a coping method. It was suggested that it would be appropriate for 4th-year students to provide peer support to the 1st-year students.