Quality of life, depressive and minor psychiatrics symptoms in nursing students

Predictors of quality of life of nursing internship students from five Saudi universities

Objectives

This study investigated the quality of life (QoL) of nursing internship students (NISs) and the predictive variables for the QoL of NISs during the COVID-19 pandemic. The correlates of QoL of NISs with their gender, age, prior nursing experience, and grade point average (GPA) from the previous semester are also assessed.

Methods

This study used a quantitative cross-sectional design through an electronic survey form for the collection of required data. The 22-item Quality of Life Evaluation Scale (QOLES) was adopted as the survey instrument. A total of 283 NISs from five public universities in KSA completed the survey.

Results

The students' age, gender, and nursing-related experience prior to their internship were all found to be significantly associated with the overall QOLES score (p values of 0.001, 0.001, and 0.01, respectively). The NISs GPA was found to be marginally significant (p = 0.08). A significant difference was identified in the overall QOLES score based on age (p = 0.02), gender (p = 0.02), and GPA (p = <0.001). Finally, as estimated by the regression analysis, only age (p = 0.002) was found to be a significant predictor of NISs’ QoL.

Conclusion

In this study, the QoL of Saudi NISs was positively correlated with their age and gender. Male NISs had greater QoL than females, while a high QoL was observed among students with high GPAs before the internship year. Only the age of the NISs was found to be a reliable predictor of QoL.

Academic performance, adaptation and mental health of nursing students: A cross-sectional study

AIM

To evaluate the institutional indicators of academic success, performance and failure and to identify the factors that influence the performance, academic adaptation and mental health of nursing students.

DESIGN

Descriptive, cross-sectional study.

METHODS

Data collection was performed between April 2018 and January 2020, focusing on academic data of nursing students (n = 348) and answers to a questionnaire with active students of the course with at least two years since admission (n = 88).

RESULTS

Academic data indicates negative trends on academic failure and dropouts. Mean academic performance was 7.56 out of 10 and ALEQ-r results showed high academic adaptation in all dimensions, except in the personal dimension of scale. The prevalence of depressive symptoms reported was 60.2% (95%CI: 49.8-70.1%) and presented as predictors of this condition both academic performance and adaptation.

CONCLUSIONS

There was found a trend in academic failure and dropouts among nursing students, as well as a relevant prevalence of depressive symptoms despite good average of academic adaptation and academic performance.