Spirituality and Anxiety Levels of Student Nurses in a Philippine University

Abstract

Student nurses frequently experience clinical and academic demands that increase their susceptibility to anxiety, prompting the need to explore the aspects that support their emotional well-being.  This study, using a descriptive-correlational approach, examined the relationship between spirituality and anxiety among student nurses. Randomly selected two hundred sixty-nine Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students from levels I to IV enrolled during the academic year 2023-2024, were the respondents of this study.  A survey instrument containing socio-demographic questions, a spirituality scale, and the Test Anxiety Questionnaire was used to gather the data. To determine the relationship of spirituality to anxiety among student nurses, this study also examined the socio-demographic factors that may be associated with these variables. Descriptive statistics and correlation analysis were used in data analysis. The results revealed moderate levels of anxiety and high levels of spirituality. Socio-demographic factors (such as age, sex, and family structure) did not significantly correlate with either spirituality or anxiety levels, while there was a small positive association between spirituality and age.  Additionally, the study yielded no significant correlation between spirituality and anxiety.  These findings suggest that while spirituality remains an important personal resource, it may not independently predict anxiety levels among student nurses. The study recommends more research to dig deeper into the complexities of spirituality in managing academic and clinical anxiety.  It also emphasizes the significance of employing holistic approaches to mental health in nursing education.