Nursing students’ perspectives of mental health at a rural community college

Abstract

The community college is a robust environment with a dynamic student population. Each student brings a unique network of relationships and connections as they enter and endure academics at the community college. The community college often provides various support services to help students succeed at the community college. However, for many students, the support services are not serving their basic needs. Mental health is an ever-growing issue with numerous students, and the community college can be an environment that heightens the stress students encounter. Because of the growing mental health issues, this qualitative study focused on nursing students at a rural community college. Nursing students typically have a rigorous class and clinical schedule. Beyond dedication to their academic studies, many nursing students have commitments outside the classroom, such as family and work. These commitments can increase stress and lead to mental health disparities. The purpose of the study was to understand how nursing students perceive mental health and if they feel their mental health is supported at the community college. The research question was, What are nursing students’ perceptions of mental health on a rural community college campus? The theoretical framework was the theory of human caring, which focuses on providing holistic and caring environments to others. Data collection was through observations of the rural community college, interviews with nursing students, and a review of the community college’s available resources. The data analysis process indicated three emerging themes: (a) the interconnection of student support, (b) various commitments in a student’s life ignite stress, and (c) the lack of prioritizing student individuality at the community college. The findings suggest that nursing students rely on an interwoven connection and relationships between multiple support systems, with each relationship supporting their mental health. Some relationships are strong, supportive, and beneficial to the student, and others are filled with disparity and stress. Although it takes commitment and time to foster a caring relationship, a reciprocal relationship is needed for the student to find it valuable. Because students experience missing links at the community college, community colleges must dedicate additional funding for support staff, mental health curriculum, and employees to address the individuality of the student body and better serve the surrounding communities. Keywords: mental health, nursing students, theory of human caring, community colleges, support services