Decreasing Nursing Student Workload and Stress: An Innovative Method to Reform Clinical Assignments Across the Curriculum.

ABSTRACT: This innovative change to clinical written assignments for prelicensure nursing students is intended to decrease student workload and stress. Student stress and mental health issues are becoming more apparent in nursing programs. Guided by change theories and a modified SWOT (strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats) analysis, a BSN subcommittee evaluated methods of written assignments and publisher products. An electronic platform will be trialed in one course. This innovative process provides nursing programs a template for change implementation aimed to reduce student workload and stress.