Emotional Intelligence and Uncertainty among Undergraduate Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic Outbreak: A Comparative Study

Stress and academic engagement among Saudi undergraduate nursing students: The mediating role of emotion regulation and emotional intelligence

AIM

To assess the mediating role of emotion regulation and emotional intelligence in the relationship between stress and academic engagement among Saudi undergraduate nursing students.

DESIGN

This study employed a quantitative cross-sectional research design.

METHODS

The study recruited 367 Saudi undergraduate nursing students at a major Saudi university. Structural equation modelling was used to explore the mediational model.

RESULTS

The results of the ANOVA and Welch F-test demonstrated that the emotional intelligence, emotional regulation and academic engagement scores were statistically significantly different according to stress levels (p-values <0.01). Perceived stress has a statistically significant moderate negative correlation with academic engagement and emotional intelligence and a strong negative correlation with emotional regulation. The results also showed that academic engagement had a statistically significant moderate positive association with emotional intelligence and emotional regulation. Results indicate that stress and academic engagement are negatively correlated among Saudi undergraduate nursing students. It focuses on the balancing functions of emotional regulation and emotional intelligence, highlighting their ability to lower stress levels and improve academic engagement. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Expectations and concerns about transitioning to face-to-face learning among Korean nursing students: A mixed methods study

Owing to the coronavirus disease pandemic, nursing education materials were developed for online use. However, as nursing involves working with human beings, the experience of face-to-face learning is important. This study investigated the learning satisfaction and anxiety experienced by nursing students based on their learning methods, expectations, and concerns about transitioning entirely to face-to-face learning. Using a mixed-methods design, 120 and 14 third- and fourth-year nursing students in Korea completed an online survey and individual interviews, respectively. Data were collected from July to August 2022 to assess nursing students' learning satisfaction, anxiety, expectations, and concerns based on their learning method. Learning satisfaction was 3.96±0.68 out of 5; the students who experienced "online lectures only" had significantly higher overall satisfaction (F = 3.22, p = .002), nursing lectures satisfaction (F = 2.01, p = .046), and nursing practicum satisfaction (F = 2.19, p = .031). Anxiety was measured using the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 tool and was evaluated at the "minimal level," with an average score of 3.46 ± 4.80 out of 21. From the qualitative results obtained through interviews, we derived three categories and nine subcategories. These categories include: the burden of unfamiliar learning situations that are difficult to predict, considerations about face-to-face learning needed to improve learning satisfaction, and the turning point that offsets the sense of deprivation during college life. The qualitative results provided evidence for determining specific goals for face-to-face learning that reflected the opinions of nursing students. To successfully transition to face-to-face learning, it is essential to consider a combination of student efforts, professors' attention, and university-level support to develop a learning approach that combines the strengths of both online and face-to-face learning. Maximizing the benefits of online learning, such as integrating face-to-face and online learning through repetitive reviews of recorded videos of face-to-face sessions at their own time, can effectively reduce students' burdens and anxiety and increase their learning satisfaction.

The feasibility of motivational interviewing on adherence to care practices, emotional intelligence, and dispositional optimism among patients with permanent pacemakers

AIMS

Motivational interviewing (MI) has been recognized as highly effective for treating chronic diseases and various conditions, with encouraging results demonstrating its effectiveness in promoting health behaviour change. The current study was proposed to evaluate the feasibility of MI on adherence to care practices, emotional intelligence (EI), and dispositional optimism among patients with permanent pacemakers.

METHODS AND RESULTS

This study was a parallel arm randomized controlled trial. Seventy clients with permanent pacemakers were randomly allocated to a six-session MI intervention (n = 35) or a waiting list control group (n = 35). A statistically significant improvement in the mean scores of adherence to care practices, EI, and dispositional optimism, along with a significant reduction in pessimism, was registered among the study group compared with the control group.

CONCLUSION

Following the intervention for 1- and 2-month follow-up measurements, there were statistically significant improvements in self-care practice adherence. After 1 month of intervention, there were statistically significant gains in EI and dispositional optimism, but at the 2-month follow-up measurement, this improvement had somewhat lessened. The findings suggest that MI may be a feasible and practical approach for improving adherence to care practices, EI, and dispositional optimism in patients with permanent pacemakers.

REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov: NCT05883514.

The Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Clinical Practicum of Undergraduate Nursing and Midwifery Students in Jordan: A Descriptive Survey

Introduction

The effects of COVID-19 lockdowns and the discontinued face-to-face clinical practicum had negative consequences on nursing and midwifery students at many levels. The clinical learning environment includes all the training and learning experiences that nursing students undergo during their clinical practicum.

Objectives

This study aimed to assess the effects of the COVID-19 lockdowns on the nursing and midwifery students' practicum training in governmental and private universities and academic faculties of nursing in Jordan.

Methods

A descriptive cross-sectional study of 1025 nursing and midwifery students from academic faculties of nursing of both governmental and private Jordanian universities was conducted in September 2021. The research group from two Jordanian universities designed and validated a 13-item survey to determine and evaluate the impact of mass lockdowns on nursing and midwifery students' practicum training. The responses were assessed using descriptive and inferential analyses.

Results

The findings revealed that the lockdown had a negative impact on nursing and midwifery students' self-confidence and competency in performing nursing procedures. The academic year of the students was a significant independent predictor of their self-confidence and competency levels in performing nursing procedures.

Conclusion

The study concluded that nursing and midwifery students were dissatisfied with their clinical education during the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to poor self-confidence in performing nursing procedures. The study group recommended repeating the clinical practicum, incorporating extensive laboratory and hospital courses, and implementing a one-year internship for newly graduated nurses and midwives to address the training gap and enhance self-confidence in clinical procedures.

The level of emotional intelligence among Saudi nursing students: A cross-sectional study

Background

Emotional intelligence is an individual's capacity to comprehend, use, and control their own emotions to communicate and connect with people successfully. The emotional intelligence level among nursing students indicates their ability to regulate their emotions, possess self-awareness, demonstrate empathy, have motivation, and display social skills, impacting how they adapt during their education and preparation for nursing care. However, studies investigating emotional intelligence in the Saudi Arabian context are scarce.

Objective

This study aimed to evaluate the degree of emotional intelligence and its differences according to sociodemographic variables among nursing students in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A cross-sectional study was undertaken with 322 nursing students conveniently selected at Majmaah University, Saudi Arabia. Data were collected between May and June 2023 utilizing the Schutte Self-Report Emotional Intelligence Test (SSEIT). Descriptive statistics, such as mean, standard deviation, frequency, and percentage, independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA were used for data analysis.

Results

Most of the students had emotional intelligence levels ranging from moderate to high (96.6%). There were significant differences in emotional intelligence levels according to the age of students, gender, year of study, marital status, mother's education, physical and psychological health, and grade point average (p <0.05).

Conclusion

The study findings may offer valuable insights for nursing educators in universities, emphasizing the importance of enhancing emotional intelligence and integrating it into nursing curricula. Additionally, it highlights the need to develop effective strategies and training sessions and workshops according to sociodemographic factors to enhance emotional intelligence levels among nursing students.

R, Uy MM, Alrashidi N, Alreshidi MS, Mina E, Gonzales A. Resilience and Emotional Intelligence of Staff Nurses during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Although numerous scholars have studied resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, research exploring its relationship with emotional intelligence is scarce. The aim of this study was to determine the relationship between the resilience and emotional intelligence (EI) of staff nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data for this quantitative correlational study were gathered from the staff nurses of hospitals in the city of Hail, Saudi Arabia. The researchers employed simple random sampling, which yielded 261 staff nurses. Nationality (t = 6.422; p < 0.001) was found to have a significant relationship with resilience. Sex (t = 5.22; p < 0.001), ward assignment (t = 5.22; p < 0.001), age (F = 6.67; p < 0.001), and years of experience (F = 6.67; p < 0.001) revealed significant relationships with emotional intelligence. Resilience had a moderate positive relationship with EI (r = 0.55; p < 0.023), a weak positive relationship with self-emotion (r = 0.21; p < 0.003), and a very strong relationship with emotional appraisal (r = 0.85; p < 0.001). Improving emotional-intelligence skills is critical for assisting nurses during pandemic outbreaks. This can increase their individual and social resilience, while also improving their professional and life outcomes. These research findings suggest that emotional intelligence should be integrated into clinical practice and that EI data should be integrated into decision-making.

The impact of psychological hardiness on intolerance of uncertainty in university students during the COVID-19 pandemic

The purpose of the study was to measure the impact of psychological hardiness on the intolerance of uncertainty (IOU) among university students during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. A cross-sectional correlational research design was used in the study, where participants were selected by convenience sampling. The data was collected from 1217 undergraduate students from a university in Turkey through web-based questionnaires. The Intolerance of Uncertainty Scale assessed data, including intolerance of uncertainty. In addition, the Personal Views Survey III-R was used to measure students' psychological hardiness. The results indicated that Turkish undergraduate students overall had high IOU and above-average psychological hardiness. Psychological hardiness was negatively correlated with IOU. Students losing a loved one because of COVID-19 had increased intolerance to uncertainty and lower psychological hardiness. Psychological hardiness was a powerful predictor of IOU. These findings show the need to implement hardiness-training programs for undergraduate students to increase their tolerance to uncertainty and reduce the effect of grief.

Nursing Students’ Clinical Practice Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic is putting clinical practice in all nursing schools to the challenge. While students should be cautious of infection, they still need to practice in a hospital setting. AIM: The purpose of this study is to gain insight into students’ clinical experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic. METHODS: This study employed a qualitative methodology and a phenomenological approach. A purposive sampling technique was used to recruit seven clinical nursing students. We conducted semi-structured interviews until the data were saturated. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis to identify and describe the patterns. RESULTS: Five major themes emerged from students’ clinical practice experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: Psychological response, obtained support, inconvenient experience, positive side, and coping. CONCLUSION: The findings suggested that nursing school must address the difficulties students perceive, as clinical practice learning will almost certainly change in the following years due to the epidemic.

Faculty perceptions of the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on new graduate nurses' transition to practice: A qualitative study

BACKGROUND

The COVID-19 pandemic disrupted nursing education worldwide. Most studies have focused on how the pandemic affected students. With an alarming workforce shortage, a better understanding of the pandemic's impact on new nurses is vital to proactively develop strategies to promote success of the profession's newest members.

PURPOSE

This study explored faculty perceptions of the pandemic's impact on new nurses' practice preparedness and recommendations for promoting effective transition to practice.

METHODS

Using an exploratory-descriptive qualitative approach and convenience sampling, 116 nurse faculty from across North Carolina, United States responded to open-ended questions within an electronic survey. Data were analyzed with thematic analysis.

RESULTS

Four themes emerged: 1) Less Hands-On, 2) Transition-to-Practice Opportunities, 3) Key Role of Preceptors, and 4) Provide Additional Support.

CONCLUSIONS

Findings provide strategies clinical nurses and leaders can implement to meet the needs of new nurses entering professional practice during the ongoing pandemic. Due to less hands-on learning, pandemic graduates may benefit from extended time with a trained preceptor and opportunities to focus on clinical reasoning, managing multiple patients, effective communication, and safe skill performance. Upon entering the clinical environment, pandemic graduates' inexperience may increase the likelihood of transition shock, requiring multi-faceted approaches for providing support.

Emotional Intelligence and Academic Self-Efficacy in Relation to the Psychological Well-Being of University Students During COVID-19 in Venezuela

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, educational centers and universities in Venezuela have closed their physical plants and are migrating to emergency remote education to continue with academic programs. This empirical study aimed to analyze the predictive capacity of academic self-efficacy and emotional intelligence skills on each of the dimensions of psychological well-being. We employed a cross-sectional predictive design. The sample comprised 277 university students, of which 252 were female (91.00%). Their ages ranged from 18 to 45 years, with a mean of 20.35 (SD = 2.29). Non-probabilistic chance sampling was used. For data collection, we used an anonymous online form, contacted students by mail, and invited them to participate in the study. Questionnaires were available between 217 and 227 days of decreed quarantine in Venezuela. The results indicated average levels of academic self-efficacy (Me = 4; IQR = 2), emotional intelligence: clarity (Me = 27; IQR = 10), attention (Me = 25; IQR = 10) y repair (Me = 25; IQR = 12), and psychological well-being (Me = 35; IQR = 5). We found differences according to sex and age, specifically in emotional regulation (z = 3.73, p < 0.001, d = 0.438) and in bonds of psychological well-being (z = 2.51, p = 0.012, d = 0.276) favoring men (Me = 33, IQR = 9; Me = 8, IQR = 1), respectively. Regarding age, statistically significant differences were found in the group of students older than 21 years with higher perception of psychological well-being (z = 3.69, p < 0.001, d = 0.43) and in each of its dimensions. Emotional intelligence and academic self-efficacy were found to be significant predictors of psychological well-being and its dimensions, specifically on control (R 2-Cox = 0.25, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.34, 69.90% of total correct classification), links (R 2-Cox = 0.09, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.12, 65.07% of total correct classification), projects (R 2-Cox = 0.32, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.46, 78.40% of total correct classification), acceptance (R 2-Cox = 0.17, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.23, 68.28% of total correct classification), and total well-being (R 2-Cox = 0.52, R 2-Nagelkerke = 0.71, 87.16% of total correct classification). It was concluded that emotional intelligence and academic self-efficacy are protective psychological resources of psychological well-being that should be promoted at university to mitigate the negative effects of the pandemic on the mental health of young people.

Does Emotional Intelligence Increase Satisfaction with Life during COVID-19? The Mediating Role of Depression

COVID-19 has spread rapidly and become a health crisis around the world, and negatively affected the mental state of individuals. Emotional intelligence (EI) can play an important role in coping with the mental problems experienced due to the pandemic. This study examined how individuals' emotional intelligence levels affect depression and satisfaction with life during the COVID-19 period. The study was designed as quantitative and cross-sectional and reached 578 adult participants online. Emotional intelligence trait scale-short form, depression subscale (DASS-21), satisfaction with life scale, and sociodemographic questions as control variables were used as data collection tools in the study. The data obtained were conducted using SPSS 24, PROCESS-Macro, and Amos 25 statistical programs. The hypotheses established were tested by correlation, multiple regression, mediating, and moderating analyzes. Results confirmed that emotional intelligence had a positive association with satisfaction with life and a negative association with depression. In addition, interaction analyses found that age and family type had a moderating effect on satisfaction with life, and depression had a mediating effect. After discussing the importance of emotional intelligence as a coping mechanism in dealing with problems, some suggestions were made to policymakers and practitioners.

Stressors and Coping Strategies among Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review

COVID-19 has impacted every aspect of life around the world. Nursing education has moved classes online. Undoubtedly, the period has been stressful for nursing students. The scoping review aimed to explore the relevant evidence related to stressors and coping strategies among nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. The scoping review methodology was used to map the relevant evidence and synthesize the findings by framing the research question using PICOT, determining the keywords, eligibility criteria, searching the CINAHL, MEDLINE, and PubMed databases for the relevant studies. The review further involved study selection based on the PRISMA flow diagram, charting the data, collecting, and summarizing the findings. The critical analysis of findings from the 13 journal articles showed that the COVID-19 period has been stressful for nursing students with classes moving online. The nursing students feared the COVID-19 virus along with experiencing anxiety and stressful situations due to distance learning, clinical training, assignments, and educational workloads. Nursing students applied coping strategies of seeking information and consultation, staying optimistic, and transference. The pandemic affected the psychological health of learners as they adjusted to the new learning structure. Future studies should deliberate on mental issues and solutions facing nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic.