Distance Learning-Related Stress Among Undergraduate Nursing Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Background: The COVID-19 pandemic has forced universities all over the world to transition to distance learning. The aim of this study was to examine the stress levels, stressors, and associated sociodemographic variables among undergraduate nursing students as a result of the transition to distance learning amid COVID-19. Method: This study used a mixed-methods embedded design. A total of 355 nursing students were recruited. The Higher Education Stress Inventory was used to assess stress levels, and an open-ended question was used to examine the sources of stress. Descriptive statistics and one-way ANOVA tests were used for data analysis. Results: Statistically significant differences in stress levels were found based on some of the sociodemographic characteristics of the students. Four themes representing the stressors related to distance learning emerged from the qualitative data. Conclusion: Distance learning-related stress and stressors among nursing students were found to vary based on students' sociodemographic characteristics.