Coping Mechanisms and Experiences of Clinical Instructors in Legazpi City

Abstract

This study examined the stressors, coping mechanisms, and professional experiences of clinical instructors in Legazpi City and developed a resiliency guide responsive to their needs. A descriptive-quantitative design was used. Data were gathered from 98 clinical instructors from five colleges of nursing through a researcher-developed questionnaire supported by informal interviews. Frequency counts, percentages, weighted means, and chi-square tests were used for analysis. Results showed that stress frequently affected psychological well-being and emotional health (M = 4.17), teaching effectiveness and confidence (M = 4.12), collaboration and interpersonal relationships (M = 4.08), and work-life balance and occupational stress management (M = 3.89). The leading stressors were handling students' academic concerns (M = 4.18), administrative reports and documentation (M = 4.16), and limited teaching resources (M = 4.15). Problem-focused coping was the most frequently used coping approach (M = 4.05), followed by emotion-focused coping (M = 3.72), while avoidance or flexible coping (M = 3.12) and professional development strategies (M = 3.27) were used sometimes. Age, educational attainment, and teaching experience were significantly related to the assessed stress-related domains, while sex, civil status, religion, and employment status were not. Based on the findings, a resiliency guide was proposed to strengthen stress management, peer mentoring, self-care, professional development, and institutional support. The study concludes that sustainable nursing education requires both individual coping strategies and responsive institutional systems.