Exploring Educational Stress and Competence of Intern Nurses' Following Two Years of Online Education: A Cross-Sectional Study

Objective: This study aimed to explore the educational stress and competence of intern nurses following two years of online education. Method: A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted with 198 intern nurses at a university in South of Türkiye. The data was collected using the Participant Information Form, the Nursing Education Stress Scale and the Competency Inventory of Nursing Students. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 23.0. Results: The three stressful situations during their education process were ‘watching a patient suffer’, ‘fear of making mistake in caring for a patient’ and ‘having to study after a day’s work’. The mean score of competence was good to very good. Female intern nurses have higher scores on the ethics and accountability sub-dimensions. Intern nurses who are satisfied with their profession, find their profession compatible with their personality, and have a positive perception of their communication skills have higher competence scores. The perception of clinical biomedical science competence tends to increase at a low level as intern nurses' education stress levels decrease. Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of addressing stress and promoting competence in nursing education. By providing students with tools and resources to manage stress effectively and by fostering a supportive learning environment, nursing education programs can better prepare students for their future roles as healthcare professionals.