Prevalence of stress among paramedical students in Cuddalore District

Background: Stress is a word very difficult to define. No one is stress-free nowadays. Stress has an impact on mental and physical wellbeing. Everyone has an ideal level of stress, but it differs from person to person. A certain amount of stress is necessary to perform at the optimum. If the stress is perceived as negligible or as exceeding one's capacity to cope, then distress results. Stress among students of medical field (medical, dental and nursing) has gained more focus in recent years. Aim of the study: To assess the magnitude of stress among First-Year Nursing students of RMMCH, Annamalai University, Tamil Nadu. Materials and methods: The present study was a descriptive cross-sectional study. Data was collected using a proforma which included socio-demographic profile and PSS-14. Data were analyzed using SPSS software. Results: Study showed that 96% of students had stress. 94% of students had mild to moderate stress while 2% had severe stress. Conclusion: The prevalence of stress among Nursing students was high and there is a need for support services like stress management programs, relaxation techniques and so on. Support services may help to improve their ability to cope up with the demands of the course and also to have a stress free life.