Back to Clinical Training during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Perspective of Nursing Students

Gregorio Jesús Alcalá-Albert (), Eva García-Carpintero Blas, Cristina Gómez-Moreno, Carla González-Morón, Ana Sanz-Melero, Alejandra Sofía Robledillo-Mesa and Esperanza Vélez-Vélez
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Gregorio Jesús Alcalá-Albert: Nursing Department, School of Medicine, Alfonso X El Sabio University, 28691 Madrid, Spain
Eva García-Carpintero Blas: Fundación Jiménez Díaz School of Nursing, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Cristina Gómez-Moreno: Fundación Jiménez Díaz School of Nursing, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Carla González-Morón: Registered Nurse, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Ana Sanz-Melero: Registered Nurse, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Alejandra Sofía Robledillo-Mesa: Registered Nurse, Fundación Jiménez Díaz University Hospital, 28040 Madrid, Spain
Esperanza Vélez-Vélez: Fundación Jiménez Díaz School of Nursing, Autonomous University of Madrid, 28040 Madrid, Spain

IJERPH, 2022, vol. 19, issue 21, 1-12

Abstract: Introduction: The COVID-19 pandemic has affected many areas of life, including the formation of nursing students. After the COVID-19 crisis, learning during clinical training created different challenges. Nursing schools are responsible for ensuring that structures are in place to facilitate coping in the changed clinical setting. This study aimed to analyze nursing students’ perceptions during clinical training while caring for COVID-19 patients. Material and methods: A qualitative phenomenological study that explored nursing students’ perceptions of learning in clinical settings with COVID-19 patients was performed. A total of 15 semi-structured face-to-face interviews were conducted with nursing students who carried out their clinical practices in COVID-19 units during February and April 2022. Results: Through content analysis, categorization, and the method of comparison constant, four categories emerged: feelings, challenges, coping methods, and clinical practices. The students had to learn to “work” with fear and uncertainty and self-manage the emotional burden using different coping techniques to deal with learning during their practices. Interacting with professors and clinical tutors during the clinical practice were positive experiences. Conclusions: This study constituted an opportunity to build new and adapted educational approaches for teachers to train nursing students to deal with their emotions and thoughts in future pandemic situations.

Keywords: COVID-19; learning; nursing students; qualitative research; phenomenological design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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