Adverse Childhood Experiences, Stress, and Burnout in Nursing Students

Students may enter a nursing program with a history of trauma and chronic stressors that affect their well-being. Understanding and addressing chronic stress in nursing students may mitigate nurse burnout. This study examined correlations with adverse childhood experiences, stress, burnout, and student wellness. Baseline measurements on well-being and stress-related topics using validated questionnaires were obtained for incoming nursing students in a 2-year baccalaureate nursing program in the Midwest. Nursing students (n = 272) reported more psychological flexibility, resilience, optimism, and professional efficacy than published studies. Students reported less cynicism, exhaustion, depression, sleep disturbance, and social isolation compared with published studies. The study cohort reported higher anxiety scores, more daytime sleepiness, and higher perceived stress compared with the reference population. Anxiety, poor sleep health, and stress may be risk factors for future burnout. Targeting wellness strategies for nursing students may mitigate stress and burnout before they become nurses.