Introduction: Consistent with the significant of the stress issue in education, this study
aimed to survey type of stressors and identifies the coping strategies used by diploma nursing
students during clinical practices.
Methods: A descriptive cross-sectional study was carried out at the Kubang Kerian
Nursing College, Kelantan which involved 346 respondents using simple random sampling
method. The inclusion criteria were year one, two and three of nursing students who have clinical
posting and voluntarily joining the study. Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) and Brief COPE inventory
were utilised in the data collection. Higher mean score indicates higher degree of stress.
Results: Clinical assignments and workload were the main stressor (mean = 3.19,
SD = 1.09). Religion approach was the most coping strategy applied (mean = 3.30, SD = 0.71).
Pearson’s correlation coefficient test found that six domains of stressors during clinical practices
(taking care of patients; clinical educators/instructors and ward staff; clinical assignments and
workload; peers and nursing students from other college; lack of professional knowledge and skills
and clinical environment) were statistically significant correlation with coping strategies, where
P-value < 0.05.
Conclusion: Clinical assignment was the main stressor among nursing students; therefore,
successful activities should be promoted to help them in managing clinical assignment and
enhancing knowledge in religion.