Reality Check: Preparing Nursing Students to Respond to Ebola and Other Infectious Diseases

Healthcare students' moral concerns and distress during the pandemic

BACKGROUND

During the first wave of the new coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, the sudden increase in hospitalised patients put medical facilities in southern Switzerland under severe pressure. During this time, bachelor's degree programs in nursing, physiotherapy and occupational therapy were disrupted, and students in their second year were displaced. Students experienced the continuous reorganisation of their traineeship as healthcare facilities adapted to a climate of uncertainty.

PURPOSE

The aim of this study was to investigate the degree of moral distress and the ethical issues most often encountered by physiotherapy, nursing and occupational therapy students enrolled in a traineeship during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in southern Switzerland.

PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT

The sample consisted of 102 participants, and the response rate was 81.6%.

RESEARCH DESIGN

Based on a pragmatic approach, a mixed-method with a convergent design was adopted. Data were collected between 30 April 2020 and 14 May 2020, via a survey administered to all occupational therapy, physiotherapy and nursing students in their fourth semester.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

Given that no vulnerable persons were involved, the Ethics Committee of Southern Switzerland waived authorisation. However, all measures were put into place to protect participants by guaranteeing their anonymity and confidentiality.

RESULTS AND DISCUSSION

The data analysis showed that the main source for moral distress was 'poor teamwork' and that the moral issues encountered most often by students were related to the appropriateness of care and working conditions, with a clear reference to students' own safety and that of their loved ones; the other concerns reported included the loss of learning opportunities and the perceived lack of technical knowledge and skills.

CONCLUSIONS

This survey offers a faithful overview of physiotherapy, nursing and occupational therapy students' experience during the first pandemic wave. This study also identifies some key recommendations for healthcare professions' education.

The Lived Experiences of New Nurses During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Contributions to Nursing Education and Professional Development

Background The COVID-19 pandemic had a major impact on new nurses' transition to the staff nurse role in hospital settings. New staff nurses were not prepared to care for COVID-19 patients based on their previous nursing education. Method A qualitative descriptive design with purposive sampling was used for this study. Twenty-nine new nurses were recruited. They were interviewed using a semi-structured guide to elicit data that were coded and analyzed using content analysis. Results Five themes were identified: "You might have to risk your own life to save others," "I wish I had developed a thicker skin," "There is real world and there is nursing school," "Learning how to handle your own mental health," and "What I would tell them." Conclusion New nurses described their preparedness from baccalaureate education to clinical practice as insufficient in certain areas that were needed in the care of COVID-19 patients. Nurse educators who teach in pre-licensure and hospital orientation programs can revise or expand on the themes voiced by new nurses in order to improve their transition to the staff nurse role. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2022;53(10):451-459.].

WhatsApp-Delivered Intervention for Continued Learning for Nurses in Pakistan During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Results of a Randomized-Controlled Trial

The COVID-19 pandemic has necessitated support for continued learning in frontline practitioners through online digital mediums that are convenient and fast to maintain physical distancing. Nurses are already neglected professionals for support in training for infection control, leadership, and communication in Pakistan and other developing countries. For that reason, we aimed to deliver a WhatsApp-based intervention for continued learning in nurses who are currently working in both private and public sector. A 12-week intervention was delivered to 208 nurses (102 in the control group and 106 in the intervention group) who had been employed in the clinical setting during data collection. The analysis reveals that nurses in the intervention group show significantly better results for learning in “infection prevention and control” and “leadership and communication.” Results of a content analysis based on participant's feedback also confirm that the WhatsApp-based intervention is a valuable tool for education. This study highlights the effectiveness of online-based digital interventions as a convenient training tool for awareness and management of infectious diseases, leadership, and communication during COVID-19 and beyond. Furthermore, this study emphasizes that group interventions with other healthcare practitioners and the role of on-going longer WhatsApp-based interventions can become integral tools to support continued learning and patient safety practices.

Infection Concept Integration and Teaching Strategies in US Baccalaureate Nursing Programs in an Era of Concept-Based Curriculum

BACKGROUND

Health care-associated infections remain a major patient safety problem. Antibiotic resistance and the resurgence of infectious diseases pose an escalating threat to public health. It is essential for nursing students to develop an understanding of the infection concept and the ability to apply their knowledge and skills in all settings.

PURPOSE

The purpose was to describe the integration of the infection concept and associated teaching strategies in US baccalaureate nursing programs.

METHODS

A comprehensive literature review was conducted using multiple online databases.

RESULTS

There is some evidence of infection concept integration within single courses but limited evidence of integration across courses. We were unable to ascertain the degree of infection concept integration throughout a curriculum. Faculty used a blend of creative, innovative strategies to foster active teaching and learning.

CONCLUSION

The concept of infection and the related teaching strategies used to help students organize infection-related knowledge, skills, and attitudes to form logical connections needs greater attention.

The perception of training and professional development according to nursing students as health workers during COVID-19: A qualitative study

Aim

To explore the perception of education and professional development of final-year nursing students who carried out health relief tasks during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic has led to a global health emergency. This situation has exacerbated the need for additional healthcare employees, forcing the Spanish government to incorporate volunteer nursing students as auxiliary health staff.

Design

A qualitative study framed in the constructivist paradigm.

Methods

Twenty-two students of nursing were recruited. A purposeful sampling was implemented until reaching saturation. A semi-structured interview as a conversational technique was used to collect information based on three dimensions: academic curriculum, disciplinary professional development, and patient care. Subsequently, a content analysis of the information was carried out. Three phases were followed in the data analysis process: theoretical, descriptive-analytical, and interpretive. The COREQ checklist was used to evaluate the study.

Results

The most important results are linked to the students’ professional and academic preparation, how the nurses handled the pandemic situation and the characteristics of the COVID-19 patients.

Conclusions

Students require training in order to offer holistic care to patients, adapted to the context. Participants highlight the importance of professional values and recognise a high level of competence and autonomy in nurses.

COVID-19 updates: Real-time epidemiology for BSN community/public health nursing course

Teaching nursing students about epidemiology is often a daunting task, with many lacking the knowledge and application of and interest in epidemiological elements. Baccalaureate science nursing (BSN) essentials state that BSN nursing students need educational applications for health promotion and disease prevention for effective population‐based communities. The COVID‐19 pandemic data have allowed for real‐time analysis and synthesis of live application of data which meets the specific requirements on current and future epidemiological problems. Nursing students can monitor weekly trends through disease surveillance and application to the surrounding community, providing for effective critical thinking and clinical judgment. Comparing weekly changes in data assists in developing interest on applying this information for practice. Discussion about background evidence, valid national, regional, and local websites, specific implementation steps, and overall student reflection feedback will be discussed.

Experiences and needs of nursing students during pandemic outbreaks: A systematic overview of the literature

Background

Recent epidemics have placed overwhelming demands on health systems, leading at times to the deployment of nursing students during the crisis. Little is known about the impact this experience has on students. Although studies have explored nursing students' knowledge about infection control, there are no specific recommendations regarding how these issues should be addressed in nurse education.

Purpose

To conduct a comprehensive systematic overview of the literature concerning nursing students in the context of emerging infectious disease epidemics or pandemics caused by zoonotic viruses.

Methods

Systematic overview.

Results

Forty-eight articles were included. Five themes were identified: education; knowledge, concern about risk and preventive behaviour; willingness to work during a pandemic outbreak; experiences and emotional impact; and ethical dilemmas.

Conclusions

There is a need to enhance nurse education to ensure that students have adequate education in infection prevention and control and the opportunity to develop the skills and attitudes required to provide care to infected patients during a pandemic. The outcomes of these education programmes would need to be evaluated using valid and reliable instruments so as to enable comparisons to be made to prepare future nurses to deal with new pandemics in an increasingly globalized world.

Nurses' experiences of health concerns, teamwork, leadership and knowledge transfer during an Ebola outbreak in West Africa

AIM

To describe nurses' experiences of health concerns, teamwork, leadership and management and knowledge transfer during an Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

DESIGN

The study has a qualitative descriptive design.

METHODS

The 44 nurses who had worked in an Ebola Treatment Centre in Kenema in 2014 and 2015 were invited by email to respond to a questionnaire. The qualitative, open-ended answers were analysed using a thematic analysis. Data have been coded systematically, with the identification of semantic patterns presented in four themes.

RESULTS

The themes are as follows: personal health management-a way to feel safe and secure for delegates and affiliates; pre-deployment training-crucial for a joint value base and future collaboration; the importance of a professional democratic approach and being a good role model; and the value of timely in-depth knowledge transfer of experienced former delegates.