The effect of telerehabilitation on clinical stress levels experienced by nursing students during their first clinical experience

Aim: To investigate the effect of telerehabilitation on stress levels experienced by nursing students during their first clinical experience. Backround: For nursing students, the first clinical experience can cause stress and anxiety. As a result, nursing students may lose motivation and desire to learn. Telerehabilitation is used for many conditions, including mental health conditions. Method: Seventy-four nursing students, aged 18-24 years, who volunteered to participate in the study and who were having their first clinical experience, participated in the study. The participants were randomly divided into two groups, the exercise group (n=37) and the control group (n=37). The experimental group received a total of 16 sessions of progressive muscle relaxation exercises with telerehabilitation four times a week for four weeks. The control group received no treatment. Results: There was no statistically significant difference in the mean Perceived Stress Scale for Nursing Students scores of the students in the experimental group after the tele-rehabilitation application, but there was a decrease in the mean score levels compared to the experimental group (p>0.05). At the end of the study, the Biopsychosocial Response Scale of Nursing Students mean scores of the exercise group decreased statistically significantly compared to the control group (p<0.05). Conclusion: It was observed that telerehabilitation practice may have a positive effect on clinical stress levels and stress responses of nursing students during their first clinical experience. (c) 2024 Organization for Associate Degree Nursing. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.