Self-Care Practices of Baccalaureate Nursing Students

Purpose: The aim of the study was to investigate baccalaureate nursing student perspectives of self-care practices to gain understanding of their value in health promotion. Design: A descriptive, quantitative tool developed by Chow and Grant Kalischuk (2008), Self-Care & Complementary Therapies Survey, was adapted to measure the self-care practices of nursing students. Methods: A convenience sample of students (n = 119) enrolled in a 3-year baccalaureate nursing program at a public university were sent the Self-Care & Complementary Therapies Survey online. Fifty-three (44.5%) students participated in the survey. Collection of data occurred over a 30-day period in spring of 2014. Findings: Year in the program did not appear to impact self-care practices or knowledge of complementary alternative therapies (CAM). Diet, exercise, and sleep correlated with perceived health status. General health by students was rated as 7.18 using a scale from 0 to 10 (O being poor health and 10 excellent). Students reported feeling comfortable caring for clients who use CAM yet rated their knowledge as average. Conclusion: Although based on a relatively small sample size, the findings support education and interventions addressing areas of general health, diet and hydration, exercise, reduction of stress, and increased knowledge of CAM in baccalaureate nursing.