Effectiveness of Pranayama on Stress among First year Nursing Students in a Selected Nursing College, Salem

“Nursing Students must learn to think and act for themselves”. No other go, nursing students must come across the academic and clinical experience. Some of the physical and psychological factors produce stress to them. Nursing students and stress is like the two sides of the same coin. Pranayama is a simple and effective technique for stress reduction among nursing students. STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM: A study to determine the effectiveness of pranayama on stress among 1st year Nursing students in a selected Nursing college, Salem. OBJECTIVES: 1. To assess the level of stress among nursing students. 2. To determine the effectiveness of pranayama on stress, among nursing students. 3. To associate the level of stress with their selected demographic variables HYPOTHESES: H1 : There will be a significant difference in the level of stress among the Nursing students, before and after the pranayama at p≤ 0.05 level. H2 : There will be a significant association between the level of stress and their selected demographic variables at p≤ 0.05 level. The conceptual framework for the study was based on Roy’s adaptation model. The design adopted was pre experimental design (one group pre test post test design). Setting of the study was Sri Gokulam College of Nursing. The sample size was 40. From the sampling frame, by simple random sampling technique (lottery method), 40 subjects were selected. The level of stress was measured by using four point rating scale through self administered questionnaire. The reliability of the tool was elicited by using test-retest method and the tool was found reliable. Pre test was administered to the subjects during first week. Pranayama was implemented for 21 days (morning and evening). Post test was done on fourth week of the data collection period. The data gathered were analyzed by descriptive and inferential statistical method and interpretations was made on the basis of the objectives of the study. THE FINDINGS OF THE STUDY: 1. In pre test among 40 subjects, 20 (50%) of them had mild stress, 20 (50%) of them had moderate stress. In post test among 40 subjects, 33 (82.5%) of them had mild stress and only 7 (17.5%) of them had moderate stress. 2.. There was a highly significant difference between level of stress among pre test and post test after implementation of pranayama. (t = 6.19 and p≤0.01). There is a significant association between the level of stress and their academic performance in previous school education. No other demographic variables were associated with the level of stress. CONCLUSION: This study implies that the levels of stress among nursing students were moderate. Pranayama is an effective technique to reduce the stress in nursing students