Stress, Sleep, and Resilience Among Rural BSN Students in a New Nursing Program

BACKGROUND: Nursing students experience stress that may impact their sleep and resilience, especially those attending rural campuses that may have potentially limited access to resources. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine relationships among perceived stress, sleep quality, resilience, and demographics and predictors of resilience among senior BSN students. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, perceived stress, sleep quality, resilience, and demographic data were collected from a senior student cohort attending a new baccalaureate nursing program on a rural Appalachian campus (N = 16). Data were analyzed using descriptive, bivariate, and multiple regression analyses. RESULTS: Perceived stress significantly associated with sleep quality, resilience, and gender. Perceived stress, sleep quality, and gender significantly explained 61% of the variance in resilience, with perceived stress as the strongest predictor. CONCLUSIONS: Early collaborative assessment and intervention focused on mitigating stress may promote improved sleep and resilience. Availability of resources for students attending small rural campuses is essential.