Nearly 54% of Nursing Students Suffer From Severe Depression/Anxiety/Stress, Study Reveals
A recent study featured in the September/October 2024 issue of Nursing Education Perspectives, the research journal of the National League for Nursing, reveals the extreme mental health challenges nursing students are facing.
The Scope of the Study
The study surveyed 1,163 undergraduate nursing students, asking them to rate their levels of anxiety, depression, and stress. The aim was twofold:
- To assess the prevalence of mental health issues among nursing students.
- To examine the role of faculty support in mitigating these challenges.
Startling Results
The findings are a wake-up call for the academic and healthcare community:
- Nearly 54% of nursing students reported suffering from severe to extremely severe levels of anxiety, depression, or stress.
- These numbers are significantly higher than the general college student population. According to the 2023-2024 Healthy Minds Study, 19% percent of college students report having severe depression, and 16% report having severe anxiety.
The Role of Faculty Support
The study found that faculty support was crucial for nursing students' mental health and well-being.
A 2022 study from the Boston University School of Public Health (BUSPH), Mary Christie Foundation (MCF), and the Healthy Minds Network (HMN) supports these findings. It examines the importance of faculty involvement in supporting student mental health, noting that faculty members are often the first point of contact for students in distress.
They found that “only 51% of faculty reported that they have a good idea of how to recognize that a student is in emotional or mental distress” and that “73% would welcome additional professional development on the topic of student mental health.”
These findings highlight the urgent need for nursing schools to address the mental health crisis among their students.
