In addition to complying with strict academic standards, nursing students must acquire relevant knowledge and skills, and learn how to carry themselves in different and often stressful professional settings. These obligations could severely affect their mental health. The purpose of this study was to examine the mental health status of undergraduate nursing students and related factors. A total of 1368 nursing students from different universities in Spain and Chile were included in this study, which took place over the 2018–2019 academic year. We assessed their levels of stress related to specific learning methodologies and determined their mental health status using the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28). The results revealed that the more advanced the course was, the lower the total GHQ-28 score. The stress generated by different types of training activities had a significant effect on the total GHQ-28 score. These results suggest that nursing education could act as a protective factor against mental health disorders. Although a heavy academic workload could lead to higher levels of stress, overall, it seems that mental health is better in more advanced courses than in initial academic years.

La simulación clínica integra la complejidad del aprendizaje práctico-teórico con posibilidad de repetición, retroalimentación, evaluación y reflexión para lograr competencias disciplinares y genéricas del educando. El objetivo es develar la opinión de estudiantes de enfermería acerca del uso de simulación clínica como estrategia de aprendizaje. Se trata de una investigación cualitativa exploratoria y descriptiva, mediante estudio intrínseco de casos, muestra no probabilística, intencionada de casos por criterios y conveniencia, conformada por 15 informantes, 2016, información recogida mediante grupos focales, analizados por reducción de datos en tres niveles, siguiendo el esquema de comparación constante, no agrupándolas en categorías predeterminadas, por proceso de razonamiento inductivo, validados con criterios de rigor y triangulación de investigadores. En cuanto a los resultados, en el primer nivel emergen 320 unidades de significado agrupadas en 6 categorías descriptivas. En el segundo nivel: tres metacategorías y en el tercero, dos dominios cualitativos: aportes de estudiantes para la implementación de Simulación Clínica y contribución de ésta como estrategia de aprendizaje en el desarrollo de competencias disciplinares y genéricas. Se concluye que esta metodología reduce la brecha existente entre la teoría y práctica, fortalece las competencias genéricas y permite que el estudiante asuma la responsabilidad en su formación.

Objective: To know emotional exhaustion in nursing students from four universities. Method: Cross-sectional, correlational study, carried out in Chile and Spain (2017-2018), with 1,368 students answering a self-applied instrument (sociodemographic/academic variables and the Emotional Exhaustion scale). Analysis with Stata 15, according to variables: Chi2 tests, Wilcoxon rank sum test (Mann Whitney U test), analysis of variance and multiple regression; confidence level 95% and significance 5% (p < 0.05). Approved by the Ethics Committee, Universidad de Girona. Results: Academic variables and perceived stress with Quite Much/Much classification: Exams, Problem-Based Learning, Laboratory/Simulation. Statistically significant differences in emotional exhaustion, according to sex, dependent people, workers, commuting time >30 minutes. Greater emotional exhaustion when taking courses for the second time and in academic activities where they declare perceived stress as Quite Much/Much (p < 0.005). Conclusion: All students present mean level of emotional exhaustion (>26 and <37 points). The variables sex and having dependents are relevant aspects. Stress perceived by methodologies is significantly related to levels of emotional exhaustion.

Background: Nursing students often face high academic and emotional demands, which can negatively affect both their mental health and academic performance. From a salutogenic perspective, the sense of coherence (SOC) is considered a key protective factor in managing stress and fostering resilience. Objectives: This study aimed to explore the SOC levels among nursing students and examine their associations with perceived academic stress and sociodemographic variables. Methods: A multicenter, cross-sectional, exploratory study was conducted in a sample of 1301 undergraduate nursing students from four universities in Spain and Chile. Participants completed the Orientation to Life Questionnaire, a validated instrument assessing SOC and its three dimensions: comprehensibility, manageability, and meaningfulness. Sociodemographic data and students’ perceived stress in relation to key academic activities were also collected. Descriptive and inferential statistical analyses were performed, including t-tests and ANOVA. Results: The mean SOC score was 62.65 (SD = 12.36), with no significant differences between universities. Significant associations (p < 0.05) were found between SOC scores and age, marital status, academic year, work status, and university entry path, but not with gender or caregiving responsibilities. Students aged ≥29 years and those who were married or working had higher SOC scores. Higher levels of perceived stress in lectures, seminars, clinical practice, group work, and written assignments were significantly associated with lower SOC scores. Conclusions: This study’s findings suggest that a stronger SOC is associated with lower perceived academic stress and certain sociodemographic characteristics. Integrating salutogenic approaches into nursing curricula could strengthen students’ SOC, promoting their mental well-being and academic resilience.

Introducción: la docencia clínica en la formación del profesional de la salud es fundamental y es realizada por profesionales que no necesariamente tienen formación docente, son quienes certifican la adquisición de competencias disciplinares y genéricas.Objetivo: construir un instrumento válido, objetivo y confiable que permita la evaluación del desempeño del docente clínico.Método: investigación mixta cualitativa y cuantitativa no experimental, transversal, descriptiva. Se realizó el diseñó del instrumento con base en revisión de literatura y una exploración cualitativa (4 grupos focales de 10 estudiantes cada uno y 4 entrevistas en profundidad a docentes clínicos), emergieron 31 ítems relacionados con el rol del docente clínico. Sé aplicó a 443 estudiantes de las carreras de la salud de la Facultad de Medicina en el segundo semestre del 2017, previa firma del consentimiento informado y autorización institucional. Las respuestas fueron recogidas en una escala tipo Likert 1 (nunca) 5 (siempre). Se realizó análisis factorial-confirmatorio para validar el constructo del instrumento, utilizando métodos robustos (Satorra-Bentler), consistencia interna a través del coeficiente alfa de Cronbach.Resultados: el instrumento presentó un alto valor alfa Cronbach 0.97 (α). Se identificaron cuatro factores: i) Cualidades personales (8 ítems, [α] 0.88); ii) Habilidades pedagógicas (12 ítems, [α] 0.95); iii) Habilidades en evaluación (6 ítems, [α] 0.9; y iv) Ambiente de aprendizaje clínico (5 ítems, [α] 0.77).Conclusiones: los ítems confirmaron la representatividad del dominio a evaluar, por lo que presentó una alta evidencia de validez y confiabilidad en los cuatro factores identificados, lo que permite al docente clínico tener retroalimentación de su desempeño por los estudiantes para su mejora.