Nursing students coping with English as a foreign language medium of instruction.
OBJECTIVE
To explore the strategies used by nursing students in coping with English as a foreign language medium of instruction.


METHODS
A descriptive repeated-measure design was used. A convenience sample of 78 students completed the assessment tool at three different times. Coping was measured with Folkman and Lazarus' (1988) Ways of Coping Questionnaire. In addition, a Free Response Questionnaire was designed to elicit possible solutions for the participants' limited competency in the English language. Changes in mean scores from time 1 to time 2 and from time 2 to time 3 were examined using paired t- test independent samples.


RESULTS
The study showed that positive reappraisal, planful problem-solving, self-controlling, and seeking social support have decreased significantly (p<.05) from time 1 to 2, whereas confrontive coping and distancing have increased significantly from time 2 to 3, (p<.05). Further, while analyzing the free responses (Part 2), two themes emerged: language-related solutions; and accountability related solutions.


CONCLUSIONS
This study provides evidence that nursing students utilize a variety of strategies, which change over time. The responsibility for coping with English rests with the collective efforts of the student, faculty, and management.
Suliman
Wafika A
WA
College of Nursing - Jeddah, King Saud Bin Abdulaziz University for Health Sciences, National Guard Health Affairs (NGHA), Mail Code 6565, P.O. Box 9515, Jeddah 21423, Saudi Arabia. thaherw@ngha.med.sa
Tadros
Angele
A
D000223:Adaptation, Psychological; D000328:Adult; D003142:Communication; D003479:Curriculum; D004506:Education, Nursing / Q000379:methods*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004522:Educational Status; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007802:Language; D012579:Schools, Nursing; D012944:Social Support; D013315:Stress, Psychological; D013338:Students, Nursing / Q000523:psychology*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult