8.0: Introduction

Figure 8.1 People, and especially nurses, are often exposed to emotionally charged situations, long working hours, high workloads, and the need to manage complex medical conditions. As a result, they experience various sources of stress that can affect their physical and mental well-being. (credit: modification of "Stressed?" by aaayyymm eeelectriik/Flickr, CC-BY 2.0)

Stress. For most people, stress can come from all aspects of life—disagreements with friends or loved ones, deadlines at school or work, illnesses, obligations to a team or community—any situation that involves uncertainty and the potential for a negative outcome can stress out the people involved.

Of course, the experience of being a nursing student, however rewarding it may ultimately be, can also cause great stress. Often the complicated process necessary to be accepted into nursing school, from completing applications and interviews to securing finances and basic logistics, is very stressful. And once classes begin, there are books to read, tests to pass, reports to write, and, most importantly, people to help. As a nursing student, you’ll learn about the causes of stress and the physiological responses to it, and information that will help you better manage your own stress and assist your future patients as they adapt and heal after illnesses and injuries. Knowing about the physical and emotional components of stress can help you be a more effective nurse.