Investigating the Effect of an Experienced Clinical Instructor's Presence on Nursing Interns’ Anxiety in the Clinical Environment of Ahvaz School of Nursing in 2018

The personal and professional behaviors of clinical educators play an important role in shaping the personal and professional personality of nursing students and can affect students' anxiety levels. Therefore, the present study was conducted to determine the effect of the presence of an experienced clinical instructor on the anxiety of nursing interns in the clinical environment of Ahvaz School of Nursing in 2018. This descriptive-analytical study was performed on 155 nursing students of the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Ahvaz Jundishapur University of Medical Sciences, who were selected using census sampling method. Data collection was done using a researcher-made questionnaire and the standard Spielberger’s State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI) in the academic year of 2018-2019. Data were analyzed using descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation tests and independent t-test). The findings showed that the mean scores of students' state anxiety with an experienced instructor and an inexperienced instructor were 54.50±14 and 57.60±16.51, respectively, which were significantly different (P <0.0001). According to the results obtained, clinical nursing educators, especially inexperienced educators, should be aware that their educational behaviors help students to control their anxiety in the clinical environment.