Background

Nursing education is vital to addressing workforce shortages, with occupational coping self-efficacy potentially supporting student resilience, preparedness, and retention despite academic and clinical stressors. There is limited evidence examining how nursing students’ coping self-efficacy and perceived educational stressors relate to intention-related outcomes during training.

Objective

To examine whether nursing students’ occupational coping self-efficacy in nursing (OCSE-N) and perceived stressors (Stressors in Nursing Students Scale; SNSS) differ across intention-related and preparedness variables including satisfaction with choosing nursing, intent to complete the Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BScN), and pursue further education, perceived preparedness for the registered nursing (RN) role, and preferred future work setting and location.

Methods

A cross-sectional observational study was conducted using an online survey completed by 367 undergraduate nursing students in Ontario. Participants completed standardized measures of occupational coping self-efficacy (OCSE-N) and perceived stressors (SNSS), along with author-developed single-item measures assessing intention-related and preparedness indicators. OCSE-N and SNSS total scores were compared across groups using one-way analysis of variance with Bonferroni-adjusted post-hoc tests.

Results

OCSE-N and SNSS scores differed significantly by satisfaction with choosing nursing and perceived preparedness for the registered nurse role, with higher OCSE-N and lower SNSS observed among students reporting greater satisfaction and preparedness. No significant differences were found across intent to practice as a nurse, plans to pursue further education, preferred work setting, or preferred work location. OCSE-N OCSE-N

Conclusion

Occupational coping self-efficacy and perceived stressors were associated with satisfaction and perceived preparedness, but not with longer-term professional plans among Ontario baccalaureate nursing students.