A Vivência do Estresse no Último Ano de um Curso de Enfermagem

Abstract

They were between 21 and 30 years of age, and thus considered young adults. Data were collected through semi-structured interviews that were recorded and transcribed verbatim for analysis A qualitative study was done in order to describe the experience of nursing students during the last year of their course, and how they deal with the challenges they encounter in this period. Fourteen students participated, including 9 women and 5 men. The data were collected through semi-structured interviews that were recorded and transcribed for analysis. All of them were in the last year of the graduate program and were involved in their final term research paper.. A grounded theory analysis was chosen in order to understand the experience of the student from his or her point of view, without specific hypotheses from the researcher. The central category that emerged was that of complex tightrope walking, signifying the complicated efforts by which the students tried to manage a diversity of tasks and activities they had never before experienced. During the final year of their academic training, the students try to reinvent their entire way of life in order to stand up to a wide variety of challenges. The complexity of the demands they face puts their capacities to the test in trying to reorganize their life in function of the goal of obtaining their diploma. Three thematic categories were constructed during the analysis: Helplessness, Disorganization of Time and Toxic Emotions. Besides these, three contextual categories emerged: Sources of Stress (including unattended needs and interpersonal demands), Signals of Stress (physical symptoms and problems with attention) and Coping with Stress (sacrifice and deprivation). The study calls for institutions to pay attention to the complexity of what is demanded from these students and adopt teaching strategies that cause less stress. Introducing practical training earlier in the program should prepare the students better for the stressful practice activities during the final period and earlier initiation into scientific activities should help prepare students for the dreaded final term research paper. Also, teachers and supervisors can have an important role through the interpersonal relationship they develop with the students, and which can contribute to creating an adequate learning environment.