Psychological Discomfort in Nursing Degree Students as a Consequence of the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Fernando Espina-López,María-De-Los-Ángeles Merino-Godoy,Vanesa Salado-Navarro,Jesús Sáez-Padilla,Emilia Moreno-Sánchez,Francisco-Javier Gago-Valiente

doi:10.3390/jcm10235467

Fernando Espina-López, María-De-Los-Ángeles Merino-Godoy + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.3390/jcm10235467

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Abstract

Students are a population at risk of developing psychological complications, such as psychological discomfort, stress, and anxiety, among other problems, especially during the current health crisis due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The present study’s objective was to analyze the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the psychological discomfort of final-year nursing students. A cross-sectional descriptive observational study was carried out. To analyze the psychological discomfort of the participants, the Kessler test (previously validated) was used. The results of this test were divided into two levels (High ≥ 21/Low < 21), showing high sensitivity as a screening method for anxiety and depression. Questionnaires were sent via email to final-year nursing students of Spanish and South American universities, inviting them to participate voluntarily. The sample consisted of 400 students, with an average age of 23.29 years and a sex proportion of 82.75% women and 17.28% men. Almost all participants (n = 396) belonged to Spanish universities, and the greatest participation corresponded to Andalusian universities (64.5%). The average psychological discomfort was high (M = 27.94). Statistically significant relationships were detected between age, sex, and feeling ready for the world of work, observing no relationships with the rest of the studied variables. The sample of 4th-year students of the Degree of Nursing presented a high level of psychological discomfort. This pathology does not seem to be related to having suffered from COVID-19 or being in contact with infected people during the practicum and is more strongly related to personal sociodemographic variables and students’ preparation for the world of work.

Highlights

Most of the participants (n = 396) belonged to Spanish universities, and the greatest participation was from Andalusian universities (64.5%)
Prevalence of Having Suffered from COVID-19 among the Participants
A total of 15.25% (n = 61) of the participants had suffered from COVID-19 before the study period, whereas 84.75% (n = 338) had not

Summary

Introduction

Since the 1918 Spanish Influenza pandemic, which caused approximately 40 million deaths [1], no other pandemic has impacted society as much as the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Its repercussions have demonstrated the frailty of every vital scope. The rapid spread of the new SARS-CoV-2 coronavirus has forced the adoption of exceptional prevention and containment measures. In Spain, after the declaration of the World Health Organisation (WHO) recognizing the pandemic due to the disease caused by the SARS-CoV-2 corona virus (COVID-19) on. 11 March 2020, one of the greatest challenges of recent decades was confronted [2]. To face this world crisis, social, economic, and political resources were demanded, as well as the

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