According to Hughes (2005), “Stress contributes to anxiety,
which can in turn interfere with students’ academic
performance by leading to the development of poor coping
skills” (p. 22). Beddoe and Murphy (2004) stated, “High
stress and anxiety impede concentration, memory, and
problem-solving ability, which in turn,
adversely affect academic performance
and learning” (p. 305). It is significant
for clinical nursing faculty to be mindful
of the anxiety students encounter
in the clinical learning environment;
however, it is even more crucial for
faculty to observe and monitor the effects
of anxiety on students’ ability to
perform in a satisfactory and safe manner.
Anxiety is a normal occurrence for
most undergraduate nursing students
during clinical training; however, faculty
must intervene when students
experience symptoms of anxiety that
begin to negatively affect clinical performance
and evaluation.