BMC Medical Education (Mar 2024)

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

  • Miaojing Song,
  • Lin Zhang,
  • Qiqi Ji,
  • Pengjuan Ji,
  • Jiashuang Xu,
  • Yian Chen,
  • Leilei Guo

DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-024-05231-6
Journal volume & issue
Vol. 24, no. 1
pp. 1 – 8

Abstract

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Abstract 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.

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