Reducing Nursing Student Anxiety in the Clinical Setting: An Integrative Review

Abstract

AIM: The aim of this review was to examine nonsimulation strategies to reduce undergraduate nursing student anxiety in the clinical setting. BACKGROUND: The anxiety nursing students often experience during clinical rotations can affect their academic performance and interpersonal interactions. METHOD: An integrative review was undertaken following guidelines by Whittemore and Knafl. The search was limited to articles published from 1999 to 2018 to increase the likelihood that they included the generations of students currently most prevalent in nursing programs, millennials and generation Z. RESULTS: Most researchers (17 studies) supported their interventions as somewhat effective in reducing nursing student anxiety in the clinical setting. A number of limitations of the research were identified. CONCLUSION: Various faculty-led and student-led interventions may reduce student anxiety in the clinical setting. Further rigorous research on this topic is needed to provide a strong evidence base for such interventions.