Development and validation of an instrument to measure stress among older adult nursing students: The Student Nurse Stressor-15 (SNS-15) Scale.

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To report the development, testing and validation of an instrument to assess the stressors experienced by student nurses during their older adult clinical placements.

BACKGROUND

The world's population of older adults is accelerating rapidly, with associated increased healthcare demands and a growing need for skilled nursing staff. However, this sector fails to attract adequate numbers of nursing graduates which is leading to a significant gap between nursing supply and demand. Older adult care is considered to be less attractive than other specialties and accompanied by more sources of stress.

DESIGN

A quantitative design was used.

METHODS

Data were collected from a cohort of Irish student nurses (n = 242) completing older adult clinical placements as part of their undergraduate degree. Exploratory and confirmatory factor analysis examined the instrument's underlying latent structure. Discriminant validity was investigated using a confirmatory factor analysis model with covariates. STROBE guidelines for cross-sectional studies informed reporting of this paper's research.

RESULTS

Factor analyses identified two factors relating to "Knowledge and Workload" and "Resources," which were assessed by nine and six items, respectively. Discriminant validity analyses found a significant relationship between age and the workload and knowledge factor, and between year of programme and the resources factor. The new instrument was labelled the Student Nurse Stressor-15 (SNS-15) Scale.

CONCLUSIONS

The SNS-15 contained some overlap with stressors from extant general student nurse stress instruments and a number of unique stressors encountered in older adult care. Future research directions are discussed.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The SNS-15 may assist stakeholders in nurse education and practice with the development of undergraduate degree programmes and clinical placements, and ultimately, in improving patient care and student retention.