Research Symposium

BIO

My name is Nicolas Monteagudo, and I’m a nursing student at Florida State University. My research explores mental health stigma among nursing students, specifically examining how the language used in clinical case descriptions can influence perceptions. The purpose of my study is to determine the effect of neutrally worded versus negatively worded case descriptions on stigma towards clients.

I chose this research because I’m passionate about improving how mental health is addressed in healthcare education. As future nurses, the way we’re trained to perceive and discuss mental health conditions plays a vital role in how we ultimately treat patients. By identifying how subtle language shifts can impact stigma, I hope to help create more empathetic, nonjudgmental clinical environments—starting with nursing education itself.

Stigma by Nursing Students’ Towards Clients: Exploring the Effect of Neutral versus Negative Case Vignettes

Abstract

Nurses clinical impressions are influenced by a variety of factors related to clinical information to which they are exposed. The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of neutrally worded versus negatively worded case descriptions on stigma towards clients. The study used a quantitative descriptive design wherein participants read and responded to a total of 10 case vignettes. Five vignettes were negatively worded and 5 were neutrally worded. The results indicate individual differences related to the vignettes with significant differences when case vignettes were negatively worded. The study indicates significant differences in nursing students impressions depending upon the negative or positive elements of information provided in a clinical setting.

Keywords: Stigma, Nursing, HIV