Stress and coping strategies among nursing students in clinical practice: a qualitative study.

OBJECTIVE

To explore nursing students' experiences with stress in clinical practice and the coping strategies they employ in that context.

METHOD: A qualitative study based on Grounded Theory (GT) from the Corbinian perspective, conducted with 15 undergraduate nursing students at a public university in the Southeast region of Brazil.

RESULTS

For nursing students, the start of clinical practice was marked by stress, insecurity, and difficulties adapting, influenced by the organization of activities, the relationships established in clinical settings, and the available support. Coping strategies included: 1) individual actions, such as emotional regulation and seeking support; and 2) collective actions, such as peer support and institutional spaces for dialogue.

CONCLUSION

Stress in clinical practice emerges as a challenging formative experience influenced by individual, relational, and institutional factors. Recognizing these dimensions broadens the possibilities for pedagogical and institutional intervention, contributing to the quality of education in the context of clinical practice and to students' adaptation throughout their nursing education.