Peer mentoring during practicum to reduce anxiety in first-semester nursing students

Background: The clinical setting creates significant anxiety for students that can decrease their ability to learn. Method: This quasi-experimental study examined whether nursing students who participate in peer mentoring during their first clinical experience (n = 18) experienced less anxiety than those in traditional clinical experiences (n = 19). Anxiety was measured using the standardized State Trait Anxiety Index and the Clinical Experiences Anxiety Form (CEAF). Data were analyzed using descriptive and nonparametric statistics. Results: A significant decrease was demonstrated in clinical situation-specific anxiety, as measured by the CEAF, among students who were peer mentored as compared with students who were not. Conclusion: Peer mentoring shows promise as an effective strategy to reduce anxiety among novice nursing students.