Background: Nursing students are becoming under increasing stress levels financial and
personal in today's environments. Aim of the study: the aim of the current study was to
investigate stress factors and coping strategies as perceived by nursing students, Damanhour
University. Subjects and methods: Research design: Subjects: 330nursing students were
involved in this study selected using a proportional allocation techniques. Setting: Faculty of
Nursing, Damanhour University in the academic year 2013-2014. Tools: three tools were
used: Perceived Stress Scale, Physio-Psycho-Social Stress Scale and Copying strategies
used by nursing students to cope with stress. In addition to the socio-demographic
characteristics. Results: A positive intermediate significant correlation was found between
perceived stress scale and physio-psycho - social stress. Also, a moderate level was found in
perceived stress scale and physio-psycho social stress scale. In perceived stress scale, the
highest percentage of stress factor was from the assignment and work load while the highest
percentage in physio-psycho -social stress was psychological (emotional) stress.
Furthermore, the most common stressful clinical area was medical-surgical and critical care
departments. The most coping strategy used by nursing students was transference.
Conclusion: The most common stress factors among nursing student were stress from the
assignment, work load and psychological stress (stressors). Also, the coping strategy utilized
by them was transference. In addition to the most common stressful clinical area was
medical-surgical and critical care. Recommendations: Nurse educators should help nursing
students to overcome stress during clinical practice through emotional and social support.
Future research should focus on the different coping strategies and stress interventions
utilized by nursing student during stress situation.