Nursing Students And Their Parents' Insight Towards Clinical Experience During Covid-19 Pandemic – A State-Wide Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

COVID-19 pandemic continues to have various impacts on our societal life not only the healthcare sector. Other than causing a general sense of insecurity and burden, this unexpected situation created unforeseen confusion and stress among nursing students and their parents.

Aim of the study was nursing students’ and parents’ perception on clinical experience during the COVID-19 pandemic – a state-wide cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To assess students and parents’ perception on clinical experience during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify correlation of nursing students’ and parents’ perception.

Methods: A quantitative approach was used with descriptive survey design; total of 500 participants were included; which 250 were nursing student participants and 250 their parents from the state of Maharashtra. Cluster sampling method was adopted, and data collection was done through online Google forms.

Results:   The finding of the study revealed majority i.e.,50.8% nursing students had cared for COVID-19 patients; 67.6% of students had attended sessions on COVID-19; 50.4% had received training; 56.4% were posted in clinical area during the pandemic. 63.2% students reported to have been provided COVID-19 helpline by their institutes for their psychological support. Students’ and parents’ perception revealed that pandemic influenced self-care behaviour related to maintaining good hand hygiene practices. Pandemic influenced self-care behaviour related to more consciousness about preventing nosocomial infection. The lowest mean was for ‘inadequate support from parents and guardians and Perception on risk regarding spread of COVID-19 infection. There was no correlation within the variables of nursing students’ perceptions except a strong negative correlation between knowledge of COVID – 19 and interaction with health team members (p=0.048) as well as self-care in relation to prevention of COVID – 19 and psychological wellbeing (p=0.035). The findings of the current study suggest that there was no correlation within the variables of parents of nursing students’ perceptions except a strong negative correlation between Self-care practices of child in relation to prevention of COVID infection and financial burden (p=0.026).

Conclusion: The study highlighted nursing students' and parents' perceptions of COVID-19. It emphasized the importance of maintaining good coping skills and clinical preparation programs to prepare students for patient treatment and interactions.