This study aims to evaluate the effectiveness of using a chatbot to improve mental health and reduce stress among nursing students during their internships. The study will be conducted through convenient sampling of nursing students from a technology university in southern Taiwan. Students will be divided into experimental and control groups to compare differences in mental health and stress levels after receiving support from the chatbot. Expected outcomes include gaining a better understanding of the fundamental characteristics of nursing students and their mental health and stress levels during internships. The results are expected to demonstrate that the chatbot can aid nursing students in handling typical internship issues, stress, and challenges, as well as in accessing mental health resources.
Background: The number of suicides and the crude death rate among adolescents aged 15-24 have been gradually increasing. Nursing students experience greater stress compared to students from other disciplines, primarily due to the unfamiliar clinical environment, concerns about managing internships, and worries about their ability to accurately judge and handle patient conditions due to a lack of experience. The diverse and highly complex nature of clinical practice sites significantly impacts the mental health and stress levels of nursing students during their internships. Therefore, it is crucial to pay attention to the cultivation of nursing students as they enter clinical practice. In response to changing times, mobile devices and chatbot tools are critically important support resources for students.Objective:The aim is to understand how chatbot can help nursing students improve their mental health and stress during their internships. Methods:This study will employ a quasi-experimental design and will use convenience sampling to recruit nursing students from a technology university in southern Taiwan. Structured questionnaires will be used to collect data on basic demographic information, a brief health scale, and a clinical internship stress scale. It is estimated that 55 students will be recruited for both the experimental and control groups.Statistical analyses will be conducted using SPSS 28.0 software. Expected Outcomes: The expected outcomes of this study include gaining a better understanding of the basic attributes of nursing students and their mental health and stress levels during internships. The overall findings will serve as a reference for educational planning for nursing internship students and emphasize the importance of technology-assisted connections in practical learning within teaching policies.
Study Type
INTERVENTIONAL
Allocation
RANDOMIZED
Purpose
SUPPORTIVE_CARE
Masking
SINGLE
Enrollment
110
The chatbot is expected to provide self-help solutions and multiple counseling resources for stress and distress, options for face-to-face or online call requests, and a survey on mental health and stress. In terms of keywords, it will establish counseling response resources and methods for finding resources for special sensitive situations (e.g., feeling moody, suicidal, stressed, not wanting to intern, etc.).
Brief Symptom Rating Scale
Five-point Likert-type scale of 0 to 4, with 0 being not at all and 4 being extremely.A total score on the BSRS-5 above 14, or a score of more than 1 on the additional suicide survey item, may indicate a severe mood disorder. Scores between 10 and 14 may indicate moderate mood disorders, and those between 6 and 9 could indicate mild mood disorders.
Time frame: The students are interning for four weeks. A pre-test was conducted during the first week, and a post-test was administered at the end of the fourth week.
Clinical Internship Stress Survey Form
Total of 24 questions are included in the survey, utilizing a four-point Likert-type scale ranging from 1 to 4. The total score on the scale falls between 24 and 96, with higher scores indicating increased stress levels during the clinical practicum.
Time frame: The students are interning for four weeks. A pre-test was conducted during the first week, and a post-test was administered at the end of the fourth week.
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