1 CHAPTER 1 The Problem Introduction One of the most competitive jobs nowadays is nursing; it is one of the most famous

professions that enable a person to have green money. The population of unemployed registered nurses is now increasing and this is not just alarming but also is very undesirable. Thus, the increasing number of unemployed nurses is a reality that is very least helpful to the country. The fact that this people already have their licenses and are still unemployed or underemployed; still a volunteer nurse in hospitals or even worse; paying the hospital to gain work experience, is very disturbing. After four years of studying and being unable to find a decent job can hence be considered as a major stressor to every individual. These facts then make the competition very high to every registered nurse. They must be able to adapt and meet the demands of their environment and profession. Due to this situation, nurses must be resourceful and must be able to utilize their skills in the most beneficial way. Hence, nursing education is one of the most common fields where nurses are now often seen. Being an educator is one of the roles nurses can perform, specifically as a Nursing Instructor. A Nursing Instructor is a nurse that teaches the students the basic skills, procedures and standard ethics of Nursing. They are the one who builds the foundation of learning of every nursing student. And thus, being a Nurseeducator, they must be able to meet the demands of their profession; they must accomplish the tasks allotted to them. And it is not only teaching that is the responsibility of Nursing Instructors, they still have to do research and extension service. With this,

2 Nursing Instructors plays strategic and complex roles in teaching and in the practice of nursing. Teaching has, however, been dubbed as a vocation rather than a profession since more time is devoted to it compared to any other responsibility. As a clinical instructor, therefore a nurse is confronted with several challenges that he needs to adapt to. Additional pressure has, however, arisen due to the increasing demands of the academe, Nursing Instructors nowadays must not only be a registered nurse but they must finish their graduate studies. According to Commission on Higher Education (CHED) all instructors must be masters degree holder by 2011 for them to be not terminated in their jobs. Hence, the fact that they must finish their graduate studies to maintain their positions in the academe, simultaneous with their teaching loads, can contribute much to the stressors of nursing instructors. Consequently, Nursing Instructors as teachers still have to do paper works and school reports, check quizzes and exams, prepare presentation for their lecturediscussions; that staying up late at night for the sake of giving good and quality education to the students has been a habit. Aside from these challenges connected with the fulfilment of their vocation there are still problems a nursing instructor faces. Another issue that confronts them is the unjust compensation they receive. One of the severe problems Filipino workers faces now is the low level of wages and salary they receive, especially in public institutions. Public workers do not receive the benefits they are supposed to have, and a clinical instructor is not an exemption. Therefore a Nursing Instructors work can be as toxic as handling five patients with different contraptions like intravenous fluid, nasogastric tube, with oxygen, with

3 indwelling catheter and for monitor ing every thirty minutes. Their personal life gets sometimes sacrificed because of the demand of their job. They sometimes tend to forget and even set aside their personal relationships and responsibility just to fulfil their chosen vocation. Thus, it can be seen that there are several factors that causes imbalances to these Nursing Instructors; their profession, interpersonal relationships, health and their personal aspects. People however, have their own unique ways to cope up with these imbalancescalled stress. The techniques or methods used by individuals to manage stress, is called stress management, and there a lot of factors that contribute in developing an effective stress management. And one of these is knowledge; the respondents of this study, as they are nursing instructors, are already equipped with different ideas and techniques about stress management, so this caught the curiosity of the researchers. The role of a nurse as a Nursing Instructor will be the focus of the study therefore, the researchers wanted to know what are the factors affecting the stress management of the respondents; the stressors a clinical instructor faces and confronts; how these stressors affects their way of teaching; and how they are able to manage it, through the use of their stress management; since they are already familiar with the concept itself. The study will be very beneficial to the respondents to help them improve their own stress management.

Statement of the Problem The study will try to determine the factors that affect the stress management of Nursing Instructors in Bicol University Polangui Campus; 2010-2011. Specifically, it will attempt to answer the following questions:

4 1. What is the demographic profile of the Nursing Instructors, in terms of: age, sex, civil status, employment status and socioeconomic status? 2. What are the stressors of the respondents, in terms of: personal aspects, professional aspects, health aspects and interpersonal aspects? 3. What are the physiologic and psychologic effects of stress to the Clinical Instructors? 4. What are the stress management utilized by the Nursing Instructors? 5. Is there a significant difference between the demographic profile of the respondents to the stressors experienced and stress management utilized by the respondents? 6. What intervention programs can be proposed to enhance the stress management of Nursing Instructors?

Hypothesis Null Hypothesis: there is no significant difference between the demographic profile of the respondents to the stressor experienced and stress management. Alternative Hypothesis: there is a significant difference between the demographic profile of the respondents to the stressor experienced and stress management.

Scope and Delimitation The study will be focusing on the factors affecting the stress management of Nursing Instructors in Bicol University Polangui Campus. The research is limited to the 20 Clinical Instructors of Bicol University Polangui Campus: school year 2010- 2011.

5 Significance of the Problem The study aims to know the factors that affect the stress management of Nursing Instructors in Bicol University Polangui Campus and perceive that this will have significant help to the following persons: Respondents. As they are the clients being concentrated upon, this study deems that they will be the ones greatly benefited. For this research study is aimed to help them improve their stress management this is thus aimed to help them in their day-to-day activities confronted with stress. They will be able to care for their clients more effectively. And through this, they will be able to perform their roles more efficiently. Nursing students. They will also be benefited, since the nature of their course is stressful. By these they will be able to clearly identify and use proper stress management. And also, since they are the ones directly handled by nursing instructors, they will be able to enjoy better teaching and education from their nursing instructors and also teachers, will be free from stress. School Administrators. This study may reveal to the school administrators the great responsibilities their Nursing Instructors assume. Thus they may become more understanding in their relationship with the Nursing Instructors. Adequate support, motivation and incentives may be provided by them. Community. They will be able to enjoy a good service from this Nursing Instructors, since they also handled by these Nursing Instructors. And through this study, they will also receive a better caring and intervention programs from the respondents and they will also be able to identify the different effective stress management methods.

6 The General Public. Through this study they will be able to choose and use different stress management methods to improve and have a better life. Since they are the primary beneficial of the nursing service, they will be able to enjoy a good service. Researchers. The study will greatly help other researchers, for this the study could serve as a reference or guide, for those who will conduct the same study. In conclusion therefore, this study will be beneficial to all the persons experiencing and being confronted by stress. And also, those who are being catered and handled, directly or not, by persons confronted with stress.