The effect of guided imagery upon first semester nursing students performing their first injections.

Full Abstract

This study examined the effect of guided imagery upon the anxiety of baccalaureate nursing students learning to perform their first injections. The quasi-experimental post test design used a treatment (imagery) group and a control group of subjects who were first semester undergraduate students. Anxiety was measured by State-Trait Anxiety Inventory (STAI), Biodot stress dots, performance time, and performance score. Analyses of covariance were performed on the post treatment STAI scores, performance times, and performance scores. A Kruskal-Wallis was performed on post treatment Biodot stress dot reading. Results indicated statistically significant lower anxiety levels by self-report (STAI), p = .008, in the experimental group. No statistically significant differences were found in the Biodot stress dot readings, p = .6777, performance times, p = .130, or performance scores, p = .774. The significance of the findings is that if guided imagery reduces self-reported anxiety levels in nursing students, introduction of this teaching strategy early in the curriculum may be beneficial to students.

Author information

Author/s: Speck, B J (BJ);

Affiliation: Department of Nursing, Wichita State University, KS 67208.

Journal and publication information

Publication Type: Journal Article

Journal: The Journal of nursing education (J Nurs Educ), published in UNITED STATES. (Language: eng)

Reference: 1990-Oct; vol 29 (issue 8) : pp 346-50

Dates: Created 1991/02/04; Completed 1991/02/04; Revised 2007/11/15;

PMID: 2175773, status: MEDLINE (last retrieval date: 2/18/2009, IMS Date: )

Sourced from the National Library of Medicine. Abstract text and other information may be subject to copyright.

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