María Teresa Alcolea-Cosín

Background/Objectives: Evaluation of students in practicums is essential in their training process. Mobile technologies enable formative assessments in training, enhance feedback, and improve students’ clinical competence and self-efficacy. Nevertheless, in the absence of previous evidence, their effects on clinical learning must be evaluated with rigor and caution. We aimed to evaluate the improvement in nursing students’ clinical competence and self-efficacy during their clinical practicums using the Evaluation Nursing Student (EVENS) application. Methods: A quasi-experimental design with non-equivalent control and intervention groups was adopted. Participants were not randomly assigned. The inclusion criterion was enrolment for the Supervised Practicum II course in the Nursing degree course at University X. Students agreeing to use the EVENS application during their Supervised Practicum II were assigned to the intervention group. The primary outcomes were student competence and self-efficacy, and the secondary outcome was the usability of the application. The analysis included a comparison of the pre- and post-intervention means of the intervention and control groups using Student’s t-tests. Results: One hundred and forty-nine mostly female (n = 137, 91.9%) students participated in the study. Forty-eight were assigned to the intervention group and 101 to the control group. No statistically significant differences regarding clinical competence or self-efficacy were found between the groups. Tutors rated the application’s usability with an average of 3.8 out of 5. Conclusions: The use of the EVENS application did not improve the primary outcomes. Although it was positively received by tutors as supportive of their role in training students engaged in clinical practicums.

Objective: To compare anxiety and acute stress levels among nursing students who joined the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic and those who did not. Methods: A cross-sectional, multicentre descriptive study across three Spanish public universities. A total of 216 nursing students participated in our study. Data collection was carried through an online questionnaire, that included variables on conditions for entering the labour market, the Zung Anxiety Self-Assessment Scale and the Stanford Acute Stress Reaction Questionnaire. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses. Results: Overall, 42.6% (n=92) of the students entered the labour market during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic. The global anxiety score was x?=36.31 (SD=5.71) and the stress score was x?=82.39 (SD=30.84). Lower anxiety levels were observed among those who joined the labour market (x?=35.67; SD=5.78) as compared to those who did not (x?=36.73; SD=5.67). Overall 92.4% of the students were acutely stressed. Acute stress was higher among those who did not work (x?=84.35; SD=32.38) and significantly in women. Conclusions: Nursing students were able to cope with stress in situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic. A healthy worker effect could not be ruled out. Stress and anxiety among nursing students should be considered by clinical practice preceptors and at the time students first enter the labour market. Objetivo: Comparar los niveles de ansiedad y estrés agudo entre los/las estudiantes de enfermería que se incorporaron al trabajo durante la primera ola de la pandemia de COVID-19 y aquellos que no lo hicieron. Métodos: Estudio descriptivo transversal multicéntrico realizado en tres universidades públicas españolas. Un total de 216 estudiantes de enfermería participaron en nuestro estudio. La recopilación de datos se realizó mediante un formulario en línea. Se recopilaron variables relacionadas con las condiciones para ingresar al mercado laboral y se incluyó la Escala de Autoevaluación de Ansiedad de Zung y el Cuestionario de Reacción Aguda al Estrés de Stanford. Se llevaron a cabo análisis univariados y multivariados. Resultados: El 42,6% de los estudiantes ingresaron al mercado laboral. La puntuación global de ansiedad fue x?=36,31 (DE=5,71) y la puntuación de estrés fue x?=82,39 (DE=30,84). Los niveles más bajos de ansiedad se encontraron en aquellos que se incorporaron al mercado laboral (x?=35,67; DE=5,78), en comparación con aquellos que no lo hicieron (x?=36,73; DE=5,67). El 92,4% del total de alumnos presentaron estrés agudo. El estrés agudo fue mayor en aquellos que no trabajaron (x?=84,35; DE=32,38), y significativamente en mujeres. Conclusiones: Los estudiantes de enfermería mostraron ser capaces de hacer frente al estrés en situaciones como la pandemia de COVID-19. No se puede descartar un efecto del trabajador sano. El estrés y ansiedad de los estudiantes de enfermería deben tenerse en cuenta por los tutores de prácticas clínicas y cuando se incorporan al mercado laboral por primera vez.

Aims and objectiveTo describe the experiences of nursing students and their mental health as they entered employment during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-June 2020). BackgroundAs other healthcare professionals, nursing students who worked during the first COVID-19 wave suffered from dysfunctional mental health symptoms. DesignSequential, mixed-method, multicentre study. MethodsThe study population comprised 92 students in the third and fourth year of the Nursing degree at three Spanish universities, who entered employment during the pandemic. Data were collected between May and June 2020. In the quantitative phase, data were collected using an online questionnaire containing both validated anxiety and stress scales. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 participants. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and a reflexive thematic analysis of the qualitative data were carried out, and analyses were combined. COREQ checklist was used for reporting. ResultsThe combined quantitative and qualitative results were organised into five thematic areas: (1) Interruption of clinical placements, (2) Entering employment on a healthcare assistant contract, (3) Preventing contagion, (4) Adapting to the situation and managing emotions, and (5) Lessons learned. ConclusionThe students had a positive overall experience of entering employment, as they were able to develop their nursing skills. However, they had an emotional impact in form of stress caused by excessive responsibility, academic uncertainty, lack of personal protective equipment and training in its use, and the possibility of spreading disease to their family members. Relevance to Clinical PracticeIn the current context, changes must be made in study programmes to instruct nursing students to be able to cope with extreme clinical situations, such as pandemics. The programmes should include a more extensive coverage of epidemics and pandemics and management of emotional aspects such as resilience.

Although previously developed qualitative studies have explored the experience of illness of individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome, these findings have not been undertaken for the purpose of enabling the identification of nursing care needs in such patients. This study aims to identify NANDA-I nursing diagnoses of adults with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome based on a qualitative literature review of their experience of illness. The protocol includes: searches in the electronic databases Medline, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, SCI-EXPANDED, SSCI, SciELO, LILACS, and Cuiden; and manual searches in specialised journals and the references of the included studies. The authors will systematically search qualitative research studies published in databases from 1994 to 2021. Searches are limited to studies in Spanish and English. All stages of the review process will be carried out independently by two reviewers. Any disagreements shall be resolved through joint discussions, involving a third reviewer if necessary. The findings will be synthesised into a thematic analysis informed by the Domains and Classes of the NANDA-I Classification of Nursing Diagnoses, which will then serve to identify nursing diagnoses. This review will enable nursing professionals to identify the care needs of individuals with myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome by taking into consideration their experience of illness in its entirety.

Resumo Objetivo: avaliar o impacto da intervenção educacional (edworkcases) nos resultados da avaliação dos alunos em suas práticas clínicas, suas atitudes em relação aos diagnósticos de Enfermagem e sua satisfação. Método: estudo observacional transversal, realizado com 69 estudantes do terceiro ano de Enfermagem de uma universidade pública de Madri, Espanha. Os dados analisados foram obtidos das notas dos alunos em suas práticas clínicas, bem como, os escores pré- e pós-intervenção na Escala de Posições frente ao Diagnóstico de Enfermagem e uma pesquisa de satisfação. A comparação de médias por participação no projeto (sim/não) foi realizada por meio do teste t de Student. A comparação de médias por professor foi realizada por meio de testes de Kruskal-Wallis. Resultados: taxa de participação: 72,4%; 92% dos participantes eram mulheres; mediana de idade de 21 anos. Foram encontradas diferenças estatisticamente significativas entre participantes e não participantes em termos de pontuação média na Avaliação Geral e na Avaliação do Estudo de Caso, com maiores pontuações encontradas entre o grupo de participantes. A pontuação média das atitudes em relação aos diagnósticos de Enfermagem foi de 99,9 (DP=2,8) antes da intervenção e 111,1 (DP=2,9) após a intervenção [IC 95%: 3,3-19,2]. Conclusão: a utilização de edworkcases como parte do treinamento prático foi considerada satisfatória, permitindo a articulação teoria e prática e melhorando as atitudes dos alunos em relação aos diagnósticos de Enfermagem.

Objective: to evaluate the impact of the (edworkcases) educational intervention on students’ evaluation outcomes in their clinical practices, their attitudes towards Nursing diagnoses, and their satisfaction. Method: this study used a cross-sectional observational design. The participants were 69 third-year Nursing students from a public university in Madrid, Spain. The data analysed in the study were the grades obtained by students for their clinical practices, as well as pre-post intervention scores on the Positions on Nursing Diagnosis Scale and a satisfaction survey. A means comparison by participation in the project (yes/no) was carried out using Student’s t-test. A means comparison by professor was conducted using Kruskal-Wallis tests. Results: participation rate: 72.4%; 92% of the participants were women; median age = 21 years old. Statistically significant differences were found between participants and non-participants in terms of mean score in the Overall Evaluation and in the Case Study Evaluation, with higher scores found among the group of participants. The mean score for attitudes towards Nursing diagnoses was 99.9 (SD=2.8) before the intervention and 111.1 (SD=2.9) after the intervention [95% CI: 3.3-19.2]. Conclusion: the use of (edworkcases) as part of the practical training was considered satisfactory, enabling theory and practice to be combined and improving students’ attitudes towards Nursing diagnoses.

Resumen Objetivo: evaluar el efecto de la intervención educativa (edworkcases) sobre los resultados de la evaluación de los estudiantes en sus prácticas clínicas, sus actitudes hacia los diagnósticos de Enfermería y su nivel de satisfacción. Método: en este estudio se empleó un diseño transversal y observacional. Los participantes fueron 68 estudiantes de tercer año de la carrera de Enfermería de una universidad pública de Madrid, España. Los datos que se analizaron en el estudio fueron las calificaciones obtenidas por los estudiantes en sus prácticas clínicas, al igual que las puntuaciones antes y después de la intervención en la Escala de Posicionamiento ante el Diagnóstico de Enfermería y en una encuesta de satisfacción. Se utilizó la prueba t de Student para realizar una comparación de valores medios por participación en el proyecto (sí/no). La comparación de valores medios por profesor se llevó a cabo por medio de pruebas Kruskal-Wallis. Resultados: índice de participación: 72,4%; el 92% de los participantes eran mujeres, con una mediana de edad de 21 años. Se encontraron diferencias estadísticamente significativas entre participantes y no participantes en cuanto a la puntuación media en la Evaluación General y en la Evaluación de Estudios de Caso, con puntuaciones más elevadas en el grupo de participantes. Las puntuaciones medias correspondientes a las actitudes con respecto a los diagnósticos de Enfermería fueron 99,9 (SD=2,8) y 111.1 (SD=2.9) antes y después de la intervención, respectivamente [IC 95%: 3,3-19,2]. Conclusión: se consideró satisfactorio utilizar edworkcases como parte te la capacitación práctica, lo que permitió combinar teoría y práctica y mejorar las actitudes de los estudiantes con respecto a los diagnósticos de Enfermería.