COVID-19: Impact on undergraduate nursing education in Sri Lanka

Nursing students' emotions, educational concerns, and the impact of study careers and professional futures during the COVID-19 pandemic: a cross-sectional study

BACKGROUND

COVID-19 is a challenge to education systems worldwide. The aim of the study was to explore the impact of COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education on the study careers and professional futures of nursing students.

METHODS

The study was completed between March and June 2023 using a multi-stage sampling design. A total of 1126 nursing students were recruited to complete the questionnaire. The self-administered questionnaire consisted of basic characteristics of the subjects, the COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions scale, the COVID-19-related concern for education scale, and the impact of the COVID-19 on study careers and professional futures scale (SCPFI-19 S). One-way ANOVA/t-test, correlation coefficient analysis, and hierarchical linear regression analysis were used to explore factors influencing changes in study careers and professional futures, and the relationship between COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education.

RESULTS

Univariate analysis of variance indicated that residence, willingness, and whether to engage in nursing after graduation were related to SCPFI-19 S (P < 0.05). COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education were significantly and positively associated with SCPFI-19 S (r = 0.566, P < 0.01; r = 0.199, P < 0.01). Stratified multiple regression analysis showed that COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education of nursing students were significant predictors of SCPFI-19 S.

CONCLUSION

Overall, both COVID-19-pandemic-related emotions and COVID-19-related concern for education were significantly correlated with SCPFI-19 S. In future interventions, schools should consider structures and strategies to support students' mental health and educational trajectories during current and future epidemics or similar crises.

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.

COVID-19 Pandemic Impact on Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Cross-Sectional Study

COVID-19 is a challenge for education systems around the world. This study aimed to evaluate the perceived impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students, by assessing their emotions, the level of concern in contracting the virus and their perceived stress. We conducted an observational cross-sectional study. A total of 709 nursing students completed an anonymous questionnaire. The levels of anxiety and stress were assessed using the generalized anxiety disorder scale and the COVID-19 student stress questionnaire, respectively. In total, 56.8% of the sample often or always found it difficult to attend distance-learning activities. The main difficulty referred to was connection problems (75.7%). The mean generalized anxiety disorder score was 9.46 (SD = 5.4) and appeared almost homogeneous among students across the three years of study; most of the students showed mild (35%) to moderate (27%) levels of anxiety; 19% had severe anxiety. The overall COVID-19 stressor mean scores were 11.40 (SD = 6.50); the majority of the students (47.1%) showed scores indicative of moderate stress, 25% showed low stress levels, and 28% showed high-stress levels. Improvements and investments are needed to ensure high-quality distance learning, adequate connectivity, technical support for students, as well as strategies to promote mental health.

The Effectiveness of the Real-case Online-based Learning on Nursing Care Plan Self-efficacy

BACKGROUND: Online learning has become a new thing that is adapted and supports the learning process, including in nursing education during the COVID-19 pandemic. However, various studies report that there are limitations to conduct the online learning. AIM: The objective of the study was to identify the effectiveness of the real-case online-based learning in understanding the nursing care plan process and, self-efficacy from the students’ perspective. METHODS: Mix methods; explanatory sequential designs. One-hundred and fifty-seven respondents participated in the quantitative approach (64 students in the intervention group and, 93 students in the control group). Six students among the quantitative approach were participated in the qualitative approach. Mann-Whitney’s statistical approach was used for the quantitative approach, while Colaizzi’s method of data analysis was used for the qualitative approach. RESULTS: There was no significant difference between the control and treatment groups in the nursing care plan (p = 0.13) and student self-efficacy (p = 0.45). In addition, there were five themes identified by the students’ perspectives regarding the real case online learning, including; 1) opinions on learning, 2) the feelings experienced during the learning, 3) learning benefits, 4) learning barriers, and 5) expectations of learning. CONCLUSION: The real case online learning provides a different atmosphere including more interesting class, interactive interaction with the patients directly and providing positive experience for the students in the form of seeing the real cases online. The infrastructure/facilities (internet availability and stability) are important factors in the online learning process. The real case online learning is recommended as an alternative of learning that is more interesting and interactive involving the patients, students, and direct supervisors. Further research on the learning process of nursing care with a mixed system; limited offline and online cases with real, comprehensive, and interdisciplinary approaches are recommended.

Nursing Student's Satisfaction With Virtual Learning During COVID-19 Pandemic in India

Introduction

The COVID-19 pandemic significantly impacted the world in 2020. Every country adopted quarantine measures to prevent the transmission of the coronavirus infection. These measures resulted in dramatic changes in the daily lives of most people. In the academic world, students faced a shift from the traditional classroom-based teaching to virtual distance learning platforms. This shift in nursing education posed challenges both to the instructors and students as they were not fully prepared for this transition.

Objective

The study assessed the nursing students' satisfaction with the virtual learning experience during the COVID-19 pandemic in selected nursing colleges in India.

Methods

The study was conducted in four nursing colleges in India. A total of 1,166 Diploma, Post Basic BSc (N), BSN, and MSN nursing students participated in the study. Ethical approval was obtained from all the nursing colleges included in the study. The Google Forms satisfaction survey included student, teacher, course, technology, environmental, and practical dimensions.

Results

The response rate was 86.31% (n = 1,166). The overall satisfaction with virtual theory and practical classes has a mean and SD score of 67.14 + 11 and 16.21 + 3.46, respectively. The results showed that overall 51% of the students had good satisfaction with virtual theory classes while 48% had moderate satisfaction. In terms of overall satisfaction with virtual practical classes, approximately 39% had good satisfaction, 58% had moderate satisfaction and nearly 3% had poor satisfaction. In addition, the students expressed that they had good satisfaction with Teacher dimension (64.3%), Student dimension (63%), and Course dimension (57.2%). On the contrary, they expressed poor satisfaction in the Technical dimension (11.3%) and Environmental dimension (5.6%). The results showed that the courses, the place of attending class, and health issues were significantly associated with the student's level of satisfaction with virtual learning.

Conclusion

Although the majority of the students rated their satisfaction level as being "good" in virtual theory classes and "moderate" in virtual practical learning, most of them were dissatisfied with the Technical and Environmental dimensions of virtual learning. This results calls for blended learning strategies to be designed to enhance better learning outcomes and, to ensure deepened level of satisfaction with virtual learning activities.

COVID-19's Negative Impacts on Clinical Learning and Proposed Compensation Mechanisms Among Undergraduate Midwifery and Nursing Students of Jimma University

BACKGROUND

Even though lockdown measures contributed to reducing the rate of COVID-19 transmission, it resulted in great distraction in clinical learning. Thus, the aim of this study was to assess COVID-19's negative impacts on clinical learning, and proposed compensation mechanisms among midwifery and nursing undergraduate students of Jimma University, southwest Ethiopia.

METHODS

This study was conducted among 147 midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University in March 2021 using cross-sectional study design. The respondents were selected by simple random sampling method. Data were collected by using a self-administered questionnaire and analyzed descriptively by SPSS v.23. The results were presented in tables, and narrated.

RESULTS

Three fifths (88 (59.9%)) of the study participants perceived high negative impacts of COVID-19 on their recent clinical learning. The proposed compensation mechanisms to be implemented before and during the next clinical practice include: using teacher-facilitated skill demonstration laboratory, case scenarios, clinical teaching videos, and clinical conferences. Students' effort to understand the objectives of their clinical learning and using multi-media to achieve it was another proposed compensation mechanism. Also, providing pre-placement training and in-service training with priority for students graduating during COVID-19 pandemic were proposed compensation mechanisms.

CONCLUSION

COVID-19's negative impacts on clinical learning were great among the participants of this study. The proposed compensation mechanisms should be applied by all concerned bodies with great emphasis to end the long-term negative impact of the pandemic, thereby ensuring the production of competent midwives and nurses.

Online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perceptions of allied health sciences undergraduates

INTRODUCTION

The purpose of this study was to determine the perceptions of Allied Health Sciences undergraduates towards online learning during the COVID 19 outbreak.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted with undergraduates of the Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya, Sri Lanka. A self-administered online questionnaire consisted of four sections to evaluate demographic information; details of online learning; perspectives and challenges on online learning were used for data collection.

RESULTS

A total of 518 responses were received from the five disciplines of radiography (32.8%), nursing (24.9%), medical laboratory sciences (18.2%), pharmacy (14.5%), and physiotherapy (9.7%), resulting in a 76.4% response rate. The majority preferred smartphones (73.2%) for online access, and Zoom is the most utilized online communicating platform (72.8%). The overall respondent's perception score ranged from 9 to 27 (Positive ≥ 18, Neutral = 18, Negative ≤ 18) with a mean (SD) of 20.4 (4.0). Even though the majority (59.7%) agreed that online learning is more comfortable to communicate than conventional learning, most respondents (48.3%) have a negative perception towards offering practical and clinical-based subjects online. Poor internet connections (67.0%) and the lack of electronic devices (53.3%) were the most significant challenges encountered during online learning.

CONCLUSION

The majority of the students have a positive perception towards online learning. Online learning appears to be an efficient learning strategy when students have equal access to online facilities.

IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE

Although the allied health undergraduates faced several challenges, they demonstrated their versatility and acceptance of the online learning strategy during the COVID-19 pandemic. Therefore a well-structured online learning programme will be beneficial for students to continue their studies during a pandemic.

Simulation of COVID-19 outbreaks via Graphical User Interface (GUI)

BACKGROUND

This research aimed to model the outbreak of COVID-19 in Malaysia and develop a GUI-based model.

DESIGN AND METHODS

The model is an improvement of the susceptible, infected, recovery, and death (SIRD) compartmental model.  The epidemiological parameters of the infection, recovery, and death rates were formulated as time dependent piecewise functions by incorporating the control measures of lockdown, social distancing, quarantine, lockdown lifting time and the percentage of people who abide by the rules. An improved SIRD model was solved via the 4th order Runge-Kutta (RK4) method and 14 unknown parameters were estimated by using Nelder-Mead algorithm and pattern-search technique. The publicly available data for COVID-19 outbreak in Malaysia was used to validate the performance of the model. The GUI-based SIRD model was developed to simulate the number of active cases of COVID-19 over time by considering movement control order (MCO) lifted date and the percentage of people who abide the rules.

RESULTS

The simulator showed that the improved SIRD model adequately fitted Malaysia COVID-19 data indicated by low values of root mean square error (RMSE) as compared to other existing models. The higher the percentage of people following the SOP, the lower the spread of disease. Another key point is that the later the lifting time after the lockdown, the lower the spread of disease.

CONCLUSION

These findings highlight the importance of the society to obey the intervention measures in preventing the spread of the COVID-19 disease.

Achievement of Clinical Learning Outcomes and Associated Factors Among Midwifery and Nursing Undergraduate Students of Jimma University, Ethiopia

BACKGROUND

Effective achievement of clinical learning outcomes indicates the success of the clinically oriented educational program including midwifery and nursing. In contrast, studies reported poor achievement of clinical competence in different health sciences programs in the country. Thus, this study aimed to determine the status of achievement of clinical learning outcomes and associated factors among midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University, Ethiopia.

METHODS

Institution-based cross-sectional study was conducted from March 25 to 30, 2021 among 147 midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University selected by simple random sampling technique. Data were collected by a semi-structured, pre-tested, self-administered questionnaire, entered into EpiData version 4.2, and analyzed by SPSS version 23. Bivariate and multivariable logistic regression analyses were done to test the association. The odds ratio at 95% confidence interval (CI) and P-value < 0.05 was used to ascertain statistical significance.

RESULTS

Only 65 (44.2%) participants achieved their clinical learning outcomes. Being a third year student (AOR 3.38; 95% CI = 1.5, 7.5) at p-value = 0.003, having good practice of COVID-19 preventive measures (AOR 2.25; 95% CI = 1.01, 5) at p-value = 0.047, perceived high students load in clinical teaching site (AOR 4.9; 95% CI = 1.6, 14.7) at p-value = 0.005, and students motivation to their clinical learning (AOR 3.1; 95% CI = 1.4, 6.63) at p-value = 0.004 were factors positively associated with achievement of clinical learning outcomes.

CONCLUSION

Less than half of midwifery and nursing students of Jimma University had achieved their clinical learning outcomes. Therefore, the students, clinical teachers, and all concerned bodies should struggle their best to enhance good practice of COVID-19 preventive measures, students motivation to their clinical learning, and facilitate clinical learning in clinical teaching site with high students load for better achievement of clinical learning outcomes.