Health-related behaviors, self-rated health, and predictors of stress and well-being in nursing students

Abstract

Background: Nursing students are at increased risk for the consequences of stress on wellbeing. Little is known about nursing students' health promoting behaviors and how these relate to health, stress, and well-being.

Purpose: The purpose was to describe perceived stress and measures of well-being (self-compassion, happiness, and life satisfaction) along with self-reported health promoting behaviors and health status in order to identify factors that could affect stress and well-being in nursing students.

Methods: A multi-site team employed cross-sectional research methods to explore well-being, stress, and potential physical and emotional health-relevant factors in undergraduate nursing students. Baccalaureate Nursing students from three nursing programs in North Texas participated in a web-based survey. Undergraduate students (n = 417) reported being junior or senior level in a traditional (74.1%) or an alternative nursing training program (on-line, fast-track, or weekend nursing program; 24.9%) in the fall of 2019. Recruitment fliers went to a total of 2264 potential participants via university e-mail. Consenting students completed online surveys collecting demographic and health related factors as well as measures of well-being and stress.

Results: More than half (56.6%) of students reported worsening health since starting nursing school. Exercise and meditation were related to higher measures of well-being and lower stress, but this relationship diminished in the multivariate model when considering individual demographic and health related factors. Our multivariate model suggests that self-rated health status remains a main potential predictor of reduced stress and improved well-being.

Conclusions: Self-reported health factors are related to wellbeing in nursing students. Targeted interventions to improve well-being among nursing students may be necessary and would fit with national recommendations for nursing education programs. Resiliency skills training with mindfulness practices may help nursing students reduce stress, improve overall well-being, and equip students to avoid burnout and stress-related illness once in the workforce.

Keywords: Health-related behaviors; Mindfulness meditation; Nursing student; Physical exercise; Self-rated health; Stress; Well-being.