Stressors that unfavorably influence Chilean students of Obstetrics and Childcare, during clinical practices

Abstract

Background: clinical practices are an essential component for the training of students of Obstetrics and Childcare, because they allow applying the theoretical knowledge acquired.
Objective: to identify the stressors that adversely affect the second and third year students of the Obstetrics and Child Care of the University of Chile, during the clinical practices.
Methods: a cross-sectional and descriptive study was carried out at the School of Obstetrics and Child Care of the University of Chile during the period March-December, 2016. Theoretical methods were used for the foundation of the research and empirical: the Stai questionnaire to measure the level of anxiety and Kezkak, which measures stressors in clinical practices.
Results: Stressors that affect the clinical practice of the second and third year obstetrics students were identified; it was found, through the application of the Kezkas questionnaire, that the highest are related to competencies, impotence and uncertainty; and as less worrisome, interpersonal relationships and emotional involvement, including the death of a patient, the latter given by inexperience in the care of the terminally ill; Stai's questionnaire indicates that the anxiety / trait is greater compared to the anxiety/condition.
Conclusions: the situations of stress that students live with greater intensity are due to the insecurity that represents facing new situations and the fear of not knowing how to respond with a proper mastery of the skills, rather than a feature of his personality.