A ansiedade entre acadêmicos de enfermagem: uma revisão integrativa da literatura

Abstract

Anxiety is a feeling that has always been part of the human experience and is linked to feelings of stress or insecurity. When this reaction becomes excessive, it is seen as pathological. The incidence of anxiety among health care students is higher than in the general population. Given that the academic period is considered a stressor, and the experiences acquired in this phase reflect challenges that will be encountered in the professional career (Rosa et al., 2022). Therefore, it is fundamental to investigate the impacts caused by anxiety on the performance of the Nursing course. Through a systematic review of the literature, consulted in the Online Scientific Electronic Library (SciELO), Virtual Health Library (BVS), CAPES/MEC Journals Portal and Google Scholar, in Portuguese, in works that adopt anxiety among nursing academics published from 2016 to 2021. In total, we identified 1443 articles. After a preliminary analysis of the titles and abstracts of the articles, 1154 were excluded for not fitting the established criteria for the research. Thus, 289 articles were pre-selected and 16 selected for this integrative review. As a discovery, the studies showed significant concern for the mental health of university students, especially in the field of nursing. They reveal a high prevalence of anxiety, depression, and stress among these students. Several factors contribute to these issues, including intense academic workload, assessment pressures, exposure to emotionally challenging situations, and the need to adapt to new responsibilities. There is a significant prevalence of anxious and depressive symptoms among university students, with varying impacts on self- esteem and self-efficacy perception. Specific interventions have shown positive effects on self- efficacy but not necessarily on self-esteem or the reduction of anxiety and depression symptoms. Factors such as academic workload, exposure to stressful situations such as internships and clinical procedures, and lack of leisure time contribute to stress and mental health issues. In light of this, the need for integrated strategies to promote mental health and well-being of students is emphasized, as is the importance of addressing emotional aspects in nursing education. Innovative teaching methods, such as problem-oriented learning and online teaching tools, are mentioned as beneficiais