Psychological Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nursing Students Studying in the Southern Part of India

Abstract

Background and Aim The COVID-19 pandemic is a public health emergency and a psychological challenge. The current study aimed to survey the psychological aspects of stress and anxiety among nursing students at selected nursing colleges in Karnataka the Southern state of India.Methodology A cross-sectional descriptive survey design approach was adopted. A total enumerative sampling technique was adopted which included 264 nursing students. Ethical clearance was obtained from the Institutional ethics committee of Sri Devaraj Urs College of Nursing Tamaka Kolar. Informed consent for the participation was obtained online from the students. The online survey collected information on sociodemographic data anxiety and psychological aspects of stress experienced during COVID-19. The data collection tool used to assess anxiety was General Anxiety scale.Results The overall response rate was 60. Nearly 50 of the students showed mild anxiety 40 showed moderate anxiety and 10 showed severe anxiety. Concerning the psychological aspects of stress during COVID-19 majority of the studentrsquos daily routines hobbies and exercise were affected and most of the students 44 expressed not being able to connect with friends family and relatives. They also expressed their dissatisfaction with the digital platform of learning 41 and their internet connectivity was reported to be poor 49.Conclusion The nursing students experienced anxiety and stress during COVID-19 pandemic. Psychological interventions are required for students experiencing severe anxiety.