Abstract
BackgroundDespite the continued expand of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing students are returning to on-campus learning and training in clinical settings. The COVID-19 pandemic might constitute a new source of anxiety that increases the already high anxiety levels of nursing students. This study aimed to assess the COVID-19 infection-related anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan. MethodsA cross-sectional study was conducted on a sample of 282 nursing students who returned to campus during the summer semester of the academic year 2019/2020. The returning students were invited to complete an online questionnaire consisting of three parts: 1) sociodemographic variables and infection-related information, 2) the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) Scale, and 3) the Brief-Coping Behavior Questionnaire (Brief-COPE). ResultsOf the participating students, 70.6% reported mild to severe anxiety levels. Female students and students who had fears of becoming infected with COVID-19 were found to be at higher risk of anxiety than were other students. A positive correlation was found between students’ anxiety levels and their dysfunctional coping strategies, which included denial, behavioral disengagement, venting, and self-blame. Students who had chosen to study nursing willingly used coping planning. Further, other sociodemographic variables and infection-related information were associated with dysfunctional and emotion-focused coping strategies. ConclusionsThe participating nursing students showed significant COVID-19-related anxiety upon returning to on-campus learning. Unfortunately, the students were found to use some dysfunctional coping strategies which were associated with increased levels of anxiety. The results highlight the important role of universities and nursing faculty members in supporting students emotionally and ensuring their personal safety inside the classroom and in clinical settings.
Highlights
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a public health emergency of international concern and a global pandemic [1]
All nursing students who enrolled in the practicum courses during the second semester of the academic year 2019/2020 and who had to return to the university campus and/or clinical settings in the summer semester in order to fulfill the requirements of these courses were invited to participate in the study (i.e., 800 students)
The findings of this study indicate that most nursing students experience mild to severe anxiety upon returning to on-campus learning during the COVID-19 pandemic
Summary
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was declared by the World Health Organization (WHO) as a public health emergency of international concern and a global pandemic [1]. During the COVID-19 pandemic, 25% to more than 60% of university students experienced anxiety levels ranging from mild to severe [5, 7, 8]. Despite the continued expand of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nursing students are returning to on-campus learning and training in clinical settings. This study aimed to assess the COVID-19 infection-related anxiety and coping strategies among nursing students returning to university campuses during the COVID-19 pandemic in Jordan. The returning students were invited to complete an online questionnaire consisting of three parts: 1) sociodemographic variables and infection-related information, 2) the Generalized Anxiety Disorder 7 (GAD-7) Scale, and 3) the Brief-Coping Behavior Questionnaire (BriefCOPE). Conclusions: The participating nursing students showed significant COVID-19-related anxiety upon returning to on-campus learning. The students were found to use some dysfunctional coping strategies which were associated with increased levels of anxiety. The results highlight the important role of universities and nursing faculty members in supporting students emotionally and ensuring their personal safety inside the classroom and in clinical settings
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