Date of Award
Spring 4-27-2026
Document Type
Dissertation
Degree Name
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Department
Educational Policy and Leadership
First Advisor
Eric Dimmitt
Second Advisor
Amber Young-Brice
Third Advisor
Jeffrey LaBelle
Fourth Advisor
Lori Stutte
Abstract
This study documented and analyzed through story, the stress-related lived experiences of students in an accelerated, second-degree, graduate-level, prelicensure nursing program. Stress among nursing students has been associated with enduring negative impacts to personal wellness, future professional practice, and patient outcomes. Accelerated, second-degree prelicensure programs are rapid, rigorous, growing in popularity, and associated with the potential to generate high levels of stress among students. Second-degree prelicensure nursing programs have been underrepresented in existing literature on nursing student stress with little research focused on graduate-level options such as Master Entry in Nursing Practice (MENP) and Direct Entry Master of Science in Nursing (DEMSN) programs. Studies on nursing student stress have also prioritized quantitative methodologies. This study chose a qualitative narrative approach to address the need for experiential data related to stress experienced by students in second-degree, graduate-level, prelicensure nursing programs. The research question was: what are the stories of second-degree, graduate-level, prelicensure nursing students regarding their lived experiences with program-related stress? This study found that second-degree, graduate-level, prelicensure nursing students experienced stress related to overload, interrole conflict, socioeconomic vulnerability, fear of failure, and social isolation. Analysis through the practice of reframing affirmed the importance of reflective leadership practice when responding to the unique needs of this student population. Keywords: nursing education, prelicensure, stress, second-degree, graduate-level, MENP, DEMSN, reframing