The COVID-19 Pandemic and Its Impact on Homebound Nursing Students

Juana Inés Gallego-Gómez, María Campillo-Cano, Aurora Carrión-Martínez, Serafín Balanza, María Teresa Rodríguez-González-Moro, Agustín Javier Simonelli-Muñoz and José Miguel Rivera-Caravaca
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Juana Inés Gallego-Gómez: Faculty of Nursing, Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), Guadalupe de Maciascoque, 30107 Murcia, Spain
María Campillo-Cano: Faculty of Nursing, Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), Guadalupe de Maciascoque, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Aurora Carrión-Martínez: Department of Cardiology, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB-Arrixaca), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, CIBERCV, 30120 Murcia, Spain
Serafín Balanza: Faculty of Nursing, Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), Guadalupe de Maciascoque, 30107 Murcia, Spain
María Teresa Rodríguez-González-Moro: Faculty of Nursing, Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), Guadalupe de Maciascoque, 30107 Murcia, Spain
Agustín Javier Simonelli-Muñoz: Faculty of Nursing, Catholic University of Murcia (UCAM), Guadalupe de Maciascoque, 30107 Murcia, Spain
José Miguel Rivera-Caravaca: Department of Cardiology, Instituto Murciano de Investigación Biosanitaria (IMIB-Arrixaca), Hospital Clínico Universitario Virgen de la Arrixaca, CIBERCV, 30120 Murcia, Spain

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 20, 1-12

Abstract: University students are predisposed to stress, which could be even higher in Nursing students since they are directly related to the COVID-19 pandemic given their health training and area of knowledge. Our purpose was to assess the stress levels of Nursing students before and during lockdown due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Murcia (Spain), its influence on taking an online exam and how it was affected by physical exercise. This was an observational and prospective study including Nursing students from the second year of the Nursing Degree from 3 February to 23 April 2020. Three measurements were performed: one before lockdown and two during lockdown. Stress increased substantially during lockdown. Financial, family or emotional problems, as well as physical exercise, also increased. Indeed, at 40 days of lockdown, those students with financial, family or emotional problems, and less physical exercise reported significantly higher stress levels. In addition, those who passed the online exam had lower stress levels compared to those who failed. In conclusion, during lockdown, stress in Nursing students increased. This could be triggered by students’ personal problems, and physical exercise may be used as a way to reduce stress. Academic performance was better in those students reporting less stress.

Keywords: pandemic; COVID-19; nursing student; online exam; stress; physical exercise (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (6)

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