Abstract
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Background: Nursing students commonly experience stress, anxiety, and other psychological challenges during academic and clinical training. These difficulties may negatively affect students well-being, academic achievement, and clinical performance. Previous literature highlights the importance of supportive educational environments in promoting students mental health. Faculty members are often the first to recognize signs of psychological distress; however, limited research has explored their experiences within the Saudi Arabian context. This study aimed to explore faculty members experiences in identifying and supporting nursing students psychological support needs.
Methods: A qualitative phenomenological approachwas adopted to explore faculty experiences in recognizing nursing students psychological support needs. Purposive sampling was used to recruit eight faculty members from two nursing colleges in Saudi Arabia. Data were collected through face-to-face, semi-structured interviews using open ended questions to encourage detailed responses. Interviews were audio-recorded and transcribed verbatim. Thematic analysis was conducted with the support of nvivo software to identify recurring patterns and themes related to faculty experiences, perceived challenges, and support strategies.
Findings: Analysis revealed four major themes reflecting faculty experiences in supporting students psychological well- being. The first theme, students emotional support , described faculty efforts to provide empathy, reassurance, and guidance to students experiencing stress or emotional difficulties. The second theme, challenges of supporting students , reflected faculty members uncertainty and discomfort in using appropriate communication approaches when addressing students psychological difficulties. The third theme, recognition of distress and utilization of resources , emphasized faculty awareness of behavioral and academic indicators of psychological distress and the use of available support systems. The final theme, faculty training needs , reflected participants concerns regarding inadequate preparation and the need for professional development in mental health support and student counseling.
Discussion: The findings demonstrate the significant role faculty members play in recognizing and responding to nursing students psychological support needs. Faculty members acted as key sources of emotional and academic support; however, institutional and educational barriers limited their ability to provide comprehensive assistance. The findings underscore the importance of mental health awareness and faculty preparedness in higher education settings. Although this study provides valuable insight into faculty experiences, the findings may have limited generalizability because of the small sample size and limited participant diversity. Educational institutions should strengthen support systems, develop clear referral pathways, and implement targeted training programs to enhance faculty competence in identifying and managing students psychological concerns. Further research is needed to evaluate the effectiveness of such interventions in nursing education.
Conclusion: Faculty members play a critical role in supporting nursing students psychological well-being and academic success. Strengthening faculty training and institutional support systems may improve early recognition of psychological distress and enhance student support within nursing education programs.
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