title: A pilot data collecting exercise on stress and nursing students.
abstract: This article discusses the lessons learned from a small pilot study exploring the link between the working environment and occupational stress among groups of nursing students. A comparative descriptive design was adopted to examine, describe and compare the two variables (sources and frequency) in three groups of nursing students. The sample comprised 90 students from one large inner-city school of nursing in London. The Expanded Nursing Stress Scale questionnaires were used to collect the data. The main findings suggest that the adult, child and mental health branch students were similar with respect to overall frequency of occupational stress. Areas of commonality and variability in the sources of stress perceived by the three groups of students were identified. A pilot study is a crucial element of a good study design. Areas of concern, lessons learned and suggested refinements were identified.
authors.affiliation: Florence Nightingale School of Nursing, King's College London.
authors.forename: Jitna
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Por
mesh_terms: D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D002055:Burnout, Professional / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology*; D002983:Clinical Competence; D003220:Conflict, Psychological; D003625:Data Collection; D004508:Education, Nursing, Baccalaureate / Q000458:organization & administration; D005163:Factor Analysis, Statistical; D006801:Humans; D007388:Internal Medicine / Q000193:education; D007400:Interprofessional Relations; D008131:London / Q000453:epidemiology; D015404:Nursing Methodology Research; D010371:Pediatric Nursing / Q000193:education; D013527:Perioperative Nursing / Q000193:education; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011568:Psychiatric Nursing / Q000193:education; D012107:Research Design; D012307:Risk Factors; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D016526:Workload; D017132:Workplace / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000523:psychology