INSTRUCTIONAL IMPLICATIONS OF STRESSORS AMONG NURSING STUDENTS IN A SOUTHERN STATE UNIVERSITY (UNIVERSITY OF TENNESSEE).
Contributors: University of Georgia.
Published: 1989
Number of pages: 183
Subjects: Education, Curriculum and Instruction.; Education, Health.; Health Sciences, Nursing.
Description: The purpose of this study was to identify major stressors experienced by nursing students to draw implications of these stressors for instruction. A convenience sample at the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga was used. This study involved a descriptive survey design using an instrument developed by Oliver Bjorksten, M.D., referred to as the "Bjorksten's Student Problems Inventory". This instrument was utilized as it was originally developed except for demographic items pertaining to the income of parents which were omitted because they did not relate to the research questions. An additional 31 questions were added to this instrument from the faculty-course evaluation form used by the College of Education at the University of Georgia in order to identify strengths and areas for concern in the instructional arena. Also included were ancillary interviews with the course coordinators.

Four research questions were asked: (a) "What are the major stressors among nursing students at The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga?" (b) "What are the differences in the ranking of stressors among sophomores, juniors, and seniors?" (c) "Do the clinical courses in which the students are currently enrolled influence their perception of stressors?" (d) "How do students perceive the severity of their problems (stressors) in comparison to the number of their peers whom they perceive as having these same problems?" Subjects for this study consisted of 111 nursing students. Frequencies, percentages, and means were used to interpret the responses to the first three research questions, while Spearman Rho correlations along with frequencies and percentages were used to analyze the fourth research question. Results of the study indicated that the majority of the stressors were associated with Bjorksten's category of time management. The greatest number of stressors were identified by junior nursing students in their first semester of clinical experiences. An implication for instruction is that the time management concern should be more adequately addressed at this university. Suggestions were also made to eliminate unnecessary content and introduce faculty to instructional theorists and instructional strategies.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 50-11, Section: A, page: 3457.

Thesis (ED.D.)--UNIVERSITY OF GEORGIA, 1989.

School code: 0077.