Final-Year Nursing Students' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

Nursing students' readiness towards the 'new normal' in clinical practice: a distributed cognition qualitative perspective

BACKGROUND

Clinical practicums are a core component of baccalaureate nursing education. Following the coronavirus pandemic, there have been extensive changes in the workforce environment that may potentially affect nursing students' experience and readiness for clinical practicums.

METHODS

A qualitative study was conducted to explore final-year nursing students' experiences and readiness for their final clinical practicum before becoming a registered nurse. A purposive sample of 24 final-year baccalaureate nursing students was included in this study. Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted face-to-face via Zoom. The data was analysed using an inductive thematic analysis approach.

RESULTS

Three themes depicting students' experiences and clinical readiness were elucidated. The themes included: (1) Experiencing multiple concerns, (2) requiring a network of support, and (3) easing the transition to professional practice. Students considered the final clinical practicum as challenging and demanding which evoked numerous concerns.

CONCLUSIONS

Considering the stress that final-year nursing students experience, it will be important to devise strategies ranging from personal, relational, and environmental protective factors to enable their successful transition and completion of clinical practice.

Exploring mobile mixed reality for critical thinking in nursing and healthcare education: A systematic review

BACKGROUND

The shortage of nursing and healthcare clinical placements has prompted the investigation of ways to supplement authentic learning. Mobile mixed reality has become increasingly available, however, the affordances and design principles for the facilitation of critical thinking are yet to be explored.

OBJECTIVE

To examine how mobile mixed reality facilitates critical thinking in nursing and healthcare higher education.

DESIGN

Systematic review.

REVIEW METHODS

A search in seven databases (MEDLINE, PsychINFO, AMED, ERIC, Scopus, Cochrane, and Web of Science) was conducted with 3488 titles and abstracts screened. The quality of the included studies was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool (MMAT).

RESULTS

A total of 12 studies with 1108 participants were included. The breadth of healthcare disciplines was limited to five disciplines that utilised bespoke scenarios on head-mounted displays. Most scenarios were emergency or critical response, with limited time for pre-brief, debrief, or overall user time. Only two studies directly measured critical thinking, with others including indirect reference to diagnoses, interpretation, analysis, or evaluation of healthcare scenarios. Affordances and design principles for the future development of mobile mixed reality for critical thinking in nursing and healthcare higher education are identified.

CONCLUSIONS

While some pedagogical affordances of mobile mixed reality can be identified in a narrow number of healthcare disciplines, there remain to be limited valid measures of critical thinking used to quantify effectiveness. Future studies would benefit from considering scenarios beyond emergency and critical responses, including longitudinal studies that reflect the development of critical thinking over time, and exploration of co-designed scenarios with and by nursing and healthcare students.

Influencing factors of sense of responsibility among undergraduate nursing students: A cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

Nursing students are critical in responding to public health emergencies like the COVID-19 pandemic. Their ability to fulfill their responsibilities is influenced by their sense of responsibility, which holds profound cultural significance, particularly in traditional Chinese culture. However, limited research has specifically explored the sense of responsibility among undergraduate nursing students in China and globally.

OBJECTIVES

This study aimed to determine the sense of responsibility among undergraduate nursing students and identify potential factors associated with it.

DESIGN, SETTING & PARTICIPANTS

We conducted a cross-sectional study and recruited 526 nursing students from June to July 2022 in Guizhou province in southwest China.

METHODS

Participants completed the General Information Questionnaire, Sense of Responsibility, and Self-esteem Scale. We analyzed the relationship between a sense of responsibility and self-esteem using Spearman correlation analysis. Then we determined factors that affect undergraduate nursing students' sense of responsibility using multiple linear stepwise regression.

RESULTS

Nursing students' total sense of responsibility scores were 96(84,106). The study found a positive association between self-esteem and a sense of responsibility (r = 0.433, P < 0.001) and its four dimensions: altruism (r = 0.381, P < 0.001), self-control (r = 0.378, P < 0.001), courage (r = 0.300, p < 0.001), and commitment (r = 0.361, P < 0.001). Self-esteem (β = 1.532, p < 0.001), personality (extroverted personality β = 7.263, P < 0.001; neutral personality β = 3.221, P = 0.029), and social practice experience (β = -3.156, P = 0.010) significantly influenced undergraduate nursing students' sense of responsibility (R2 = 0.268, F = 17.065, P < 0.001).

CONCLUSIONS

The study highlights the importance of nursing students' sense of responsibility and suggests room for improvement in its level. Higher self-esteem was associated with a stronger sense of responsibility. Additionally, self-esteem, personality, and social practice experience emerged as significant influencing factors. Nursing educators should prioritize students' sense of responsibility and explore targeted interventions, such as social practice activities, particularly for students with low self-esteem and introversion.

Distance Learning in Nursing Education during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Psychosocial Impact for the Greek Nursing Students-A Qualitative Approach

(1) Background: The COVID-19 pandemic posed a major threat to global health and on the educational field. The purpose of this study is to identify and illustrate the psychosocial adaptation of nursing students to the sudden and exclusive application of distance learning during the COVID-19 pandemic; (2) Methods: A qualitative interview research has been designed. Two focus groups of seven members each and six individual interviews were conducted in a sample of undergraduate nursing students in Greece from 3 March 2021, to 9 April 2021.; (3) Results: A qualitative thematic analysis of the data identified six themes: 1. Challenges; 2. Concerns; 3. Social changes; 4. Negative Emotions; 5. Evaluation; and 6. Teaching strategies.; (4) Conclusions: During its implementation, it identified gaps and weaknesses in the entire academic community. The study of the psychosocial adaptation of the academic community is considered crucial, as it can highlight the individual difficulties in distance learning and contribute to the improvement of the methods of its the improvement of its methods.