Influence of Clinical Learning Experiences and Academic Stress on Academic Life Satisfaction Among Students in Ankaful Psychiatric Nurses‘ Training College

Abstract

This study sought to assess the influence of clinical learning experiences on the academic stress and academic life satisfaction of student in their clinical learning environments (CLE) at the Ankaful Psychiatric Nurses‘ Training College in the Central Region of Ghana. The study employed proportionate and random sampling procedures to sample 200 nursing students. Data were analysed using independent sample t-test and multiple regression to examine the influence of clinical learning experiences and academic stress on the academic life satisfaction among the students. The study revealed that CLE has a statistically significant positive influence on students‘ academic life satisfaction. Also, academic stress significantly affects students‘ satisfaction with academic life. The study further revealed that male students reported significantly higher levels of academic stress compared to female students. The study recommended that counsellors, college authorities, and stakeholders of Psychiatric Nurses‘ Training Colleges should incorporate a more comprehensive approach where the attention is not limited to providing quality education and training for nurses, but to concentrate on other areas (clinical learning environment, academic stress and academic life satisfaction, demographic variables, for example, gender) that have been shown to have had influence on the lives and success of students.