Clinical placements are fundamental to the development of nursing students’ professional competence; however, these experiences often present significant challenges and can be a major source of stress. While stress is widely recognized as both a trigger and an exacerbating factor for poor health, limited research has explored how general health status itself influences perceived stress levels. This study aimed to identify factors associated with perceived stress during clinical practice among nursing students, with particular emphasis on the relationship between stress and general health status. A cross-sectional quantitative design was employed, involving 724 associate degree nursing students from Southern Taiwan. Participants’ health status scores ranged from 28 to 139, with a mean score of 68.40 (SD = 25.75). Based on score classifications, 35.5% of students reported good health (28–55), 24.6% moderate health (56–83), and 39.9% poor health (≥84). Perceived stress scores ranged from 0 to 95, with an average of 36.65 (SD = 15.95). Classification and regression tree (CART) analysis identified health status as the most influential factor associated with perceived stress (Normalized Importance = 100%). Students with General Health Questionnaire (GHQ-28) scores ≤34.5 reported mild stress, those with scores between >34.5 and <84.5 experienced moderate stress, and scores ≥84.5 marked the threshold for severe stress levels. The results suggest that general health status may serve as an effective indicator for identifying nursing students who are at higher risk of experiencing elevated stress during clinical practice. However, due to the cross-sectional nature of the study and the reciprocal relationship between health and stress, further longitudinal research is needed to clarify the causal pathways linking health status and stress vulnerability.
