The relationship between time management skills and the academic performance of nursing students at university of kerbala, Iraq

Аннотация

Time management is a fundamental factor for academic success, particularly in disciplines that require a balance between theoretical and practical aspects, such as nursing. This study aimed to explore the relationship between time management skills and the academic performance of nursing students at the University of Kerbala. A descriptive-analytical study was conducted on 260 nursing students from both morning and evening programs. A structured questionnaire was used, consisting of two sections: socio-demographic and academic data, and the Student Time Management Scale (STMS), which includes 28 items categorized into four domains. The findings revealed that the majority of students (71.5%) demonstrated moderate time management skills, while 14.2% exhibited either poor or good skills.ةKey weaknesses were identified in areas such as daily prioritization and preparation for activities. Regarding academic performance, most students achieved relatively high grades, with 30% attaining a "Very Good" GPA and 22% achieving "Excellent," reflecting generally good academic performance. Results revealed that 71.5% of students demonstrated moderate time management skills, with weaknesses observed in essential areas such as goal setting, prioritization, and routine control. Despite these deficiencies, no statistically significant correlation was found between time management skills and academic performance (ρ = 0.019, p = 0.756). Additionally, socio-demographic factors, such as age, gender, marital status, and income, did not show any meaningful associations with time management skills or academic performance. The conclusion of the study highlights that factors such as motivation, stress management, and study environment may have a more significant influence on academic outcomes compared to time management skills alone. To address the identified gaps, the study recommends integrating structured time management training into nursing curricula. This approach can help students better manage their time and succeed academically by giving them the tools they need to deal with the demanding nature of their education. Keywords: Study habits, nursing students, academic performance, and time management. anxiety and boost students' interest in study Introduction: Research on the connection between (Ghiasvand et al., 2017). Kulkarni discovered a nursing students' academic achievement and time significant association between time management and management is crucial. For nursing students, who GPA in medical students, inferring that improved time encounter particular difficulties during their academic management approach relates to increased academic journey, efficient time management is frequently performance (Kulkarni, 2020). Additionally, Alshutwi et associated with lower academic stress and better al. illustrated a positive relationship between time academic results (Sekizler et al., 2022). This shows that management abilities and academic performance in there is a positive correlation between those skills and nursing students, supporting the idea that enhanced academic performance. An example would be the study time management contributes to enhanced academic conducted by Ghiasvand et al. highlighting that outcomes (Alshutwi et al., 2019). teaching time management skills will reduce academic International Journal of Medical Sciences And Clinical Research 35 https://theusajournals.com/index.php/ijmscr International Journal of Medical Sciences And Clinical Research (ISSN: 2771-2265) Furthermore, the influence of time management and opportunities for enhancing academic reaches beyond academic outcomes that include the performance. management of stress. Mirzaei et al. observed that Population nursing students frequently encounter significant The target population for this study consisted of all stress stemming from their academic obligations, and nursing students enrolled at the University of Kerbala, that proficient time management strategies can with a total of 701 students, including 262 in the alleviate this stress (Mirzaei et al., 2012). Others morning program and 439 in the evening program. A highlight the importance of managing academic stress sample of 260 students was selected from various levels to sustain academic performance in nursing academic years and levels of study. students. Effectively managing time may reduce feelings of being overwhelmed, especially in nursing Setting of the Sample: education, where the curriculum is both rigorous and The sample setting for this study was the University of demanding (Pacheco-Castillo et al., 2021). Kerbala, Iraq, with nursing students enrolled in both In addition, the association between time management the morning and evening programs. A convenience and academic performance is clarified by research sampling method was used, where students were exploring the wider context of academic stress. Lavoie- selected based on availability and willingness to Tremblay et al. found that firs