Search

BACKGROUND Prenursing students represent the future pipeline of nursing students, yet their perceptions of how COVID-19 affected their experience as prenursing students are unknown. METHOD Short-answer data (n = 289) in US prenursing students were collected in fall 2020. Deductive thematic analysis was applied according to the social determinants of learning (SDOL™) framework. RESULTS Participants verbalized fears of contracting COVID-19 (physical health) and difficulties with stress and anxiety (psychosocial health). Participants shared pandemic-related financial challenges (economic instability), changes in living situations (physical environment), and the lack of hoped-for social connections (social environment). Many struggled with focus; others confirmed their goals (self-motivation). CONCLUSION The SDOL framework can be utilized by educators to conceptualize the influence of the COVID-19 pandemic on the experiences of online prenursing students and leveraged to develop targeted interventions to improve students' well-being as they apply to nursing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Work engagement, burnout, and well-being in nursing professional development practitioners during the second year of COVID-19 were explored. Increased levels of work engagement were associated with decreased burnout and higher levels of well-being. Significant differenceswere noted in work engagement and burnout among those with more than 1 year of nursing professional development experience. Examining the health of the specialty highlights current concerns and provides insight into developing interventions to address the consequences of the pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using an observational design, new graduate nurses' perceptions of job satisfaction and resignation ideation during COVID-19 were explored. Higher job satisfaction was associated with higher self-confidence, lower stress, and working in first choice of unit. A higher likelihood of resignation ideation was associated with coworker incivility, higher stress, and not working in first choice unit. New graduate nurses need support from nursing professional development practitioners for challenges faced throughout the transition-to-practice year. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore pre‐nursing students' experiences and identify factors influencing their well‐being as learners during COVID‐19. Design: A qualitative descriptive design was used. Methods: Short answer study data (n = 289) were collected in Fall 2020 as part of a larger IRB‐approved survey‐based study focused on pre‐nursing students. Participants were presented with three short answer questions designed to elicit a description of their experiences as a pre‐nursing student. NVivo and reflexive thematic analysis were used to analyse participant responses. Results: Six themes related to learner well‐being emerged from the data. Learner well‐being was supported by achieving academic goals, experiencing positive feelings about current course content, creating connections with peers and envisioning themselves as nurses in the future. Negative contributors to pre‐nursing student well‐being included managing fears of program rejection and juggling multiple roles and demands. Online learning necessitated by COVID‐19 created opportunities for loneliness and isolation from peers, technological difficulties and additional psychological stress, which also contributed negatively to learner well‐being. Conclusion: These findings illustrate pre‐nursing students' experiences and provide support for the influence of the learning environment and factors within the individual on the well‐being of learners. Impact Students preparing to apply to nursing programs are an understudied population and little is known about their well‐being as learners. Survey‐based open‐ended short answer questions can be utilized to gain rich insight into their experiences. The study themes and sub‐themes can be utilized for discussion and reflection in courses with pre‐nursing students and as a starting point for additional conversations between pre‐nursing students and educators regarding improving the support of well‐being in learners. Additional research and evidence‐based interventions that promote learner well‐being in pre‐nursing students are needed as they prepare for nursing program admission and to support their academic progression. Patient or Public Contribution: Members of the public were not involved in the design or conduct of the study, analysis, or interpretation of the data, or in the preparation of the manuscript because the study focus is on gaining an understanding the experiences of pre‐nursing students and their well‐being. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased work-related stress and anxiety in healthcare workers worldwide, increasing their potential for burnout. Rural hospitals experienced additional challenges as they often provided care with limited resources and staff. Efforts are made by rural hospitals to mitigate employees' work-related stress and anxiety, but few studies or projects have been published that highlight these efforts. Our evidence-based practice project aimed to answer the question, does the use of a "Zen" or recovery room influence rural healthcare staff stress and anxiety levels during their shift? Sample: The project's convenience sample included 36 healthcare workers and hospital staff in an acute care facility, solely servicing a rural county in north-central Texas. Method: Following the IOWA Model, a literature search was conducted, and IRB review of the project was obtained. A private, restful space was created in a room with soft lighting, a massage chair, aromatherapy, and other various tools for relaxation. From June 2021 - January 2022, all staff were invited to use the room and complete a brief voluntary anonymous survey when they entered and exited the room. An additional short-answer survey was conducted in March 2022 to explore employees' perceptions of the project. Findings: On average, participants reported significantly lower levels of stress and anxiety after using the Zen room. Pre-room anxiety scores significantly predicted participants' post-room stress levels. Barriers to room use included employee's perception of available time and enough staff during the shift to step away from their duties. Conclusion: The availability of private, uninterrupted space decreased staff stress and anxiety and allowed them to return to work with a renewed sense of energy. Rural hospitals would benefit in implementing such a space and conducting further research on the effects of stress and anxiety levels, even as COVID-19 shifts to an endemic disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]