Introduction

The suspension of clinical practices in the nursing profession during COVID-19 generated a decrease in the students՚ abilities and skills which made them vulnerable to more frequent to clinical practice stressors and levels of anxiety.

Objective

To determine the relation between clinical practice stressors and anxiety levels in nursing students during COVID-19.

Method

A descriptive correlational study with convenience sampling was carried out in 169 students enrolled from third to eight semesters in a public university in the city of Saltillo, Coahuila. For the measurement of variables a sociodemographic data card, the KEZKAK Questionnaire in its Spanish version to measure the clinical practice stressors and the Beck Anxiety Inventory were used. Data collection was through a digital link during August-December 2021. Descriptive and inferential statistics were sued through SPSS V.26.

Results

57.4% reported a medium level of stress and 62.7% a low level of anxiety; however, there are stressors from clinical practice that lead to increased anxiety. A statistically significant positive correlation was found between the study variables (r = .411, p<.001).

Discussion and conclusion

The challenges in clinical practice experienced during COVID-19 highlight that generations of future nursing professionals face a scenario that is the product of a post-pandemic era, so it is necessary to strengthen their knowledge and confidence to motivate them to feel safe within the hospital context.