The learning experiences and career development expectations of Chinese nursing master's degree students: A qualitative investigation.

AIM: To explore the learning experiences and career development expectations of nursing master's degree students. BACKGROUND: With increasing demands for improved quality of life, there is a growing need for nursing graduate programs in clinical care. However, the existing training programs for nursing master's students in China require improvement. It is essential to analyze students' learning experiences, perceptions of the current status of nursing and expectations of the nursing profession to enhance and develop university training programs. DESIGN: A descriptive qualitative study employing semi-structured interviews. METHOD: Semi-structured interviews were conducted with 14 nursing master's degree students. The data obtained were analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step phenomenological analysis method. The study adhered to the consolidated criteria for reporting qualitative research (COREQ). RESULTS: Three main themes emerged from the analysis-Theme 1: Career expectations, encompassing motivations for pursuing the nursing master's program and career aspirations; Theme 2: Study experiences, including nursing professional ability, nursing management ability, self-awareness ability and moral literacy; Theme 3: Occupational dilemmas, encompassing the current challenges and coping strategies. CONCLUSION: The learning experiences of nursing master's students in universities are closely linked to their training programs. A disparity exists between students' career expectations and the actual employment landscape for nursing master's degree students.

Association of Self-Leadership With Acute Stress Responses and Acute Stress Disorders in Chinese Medics During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Background: The outbreak of the highly infectious coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) renders a huge physical and psychological risk to the public, especially to the medics. Additionally, self-leadership has proven to improve self-efficacy and mediate tension, such as nervousness and depression. Therefore, a cross-sectional survey was conducted to explore the association of self-leadership with acute stress responses (ASRs) and acute stress disorders (ASDs) in medics during the COVID-19 epidemic. Methods: Self-reported online questionnaires were administered, and 627 participants were finally included. The data were analyzed using the univariate analysis and the logistical regression model to identify whether self-leadership and sociodemographic and epidemic characteristics were associated with mental health, including ASRs and ASDs. Results: Initially, 790 medics responded. Of these, 627 remained after excluding for invalid questionnaires and those with a substantial amount of missing data. Therefore, the participation validity rate was 79.37%. Frontline medical staff (ß = 0.338; p < 0.001), possibility of infection among people around the medic being mild (ß = 0.141; p < 0.001), subjective estimation of epidemic duration being 3-6 months (ß = 0.074; p < 0.05), self-sets (ß = -0.022; p < 0.001), self-punishment (ß = 0.229; p < 0.001), belief hypothesis and evaluation (ß = -0.147; p < 0.05), and successful foresight (ß = 0.105; p < 0.05) were statistically significant with ASRs. Marital status [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) =1.813; 95% CI (1.141, 2.881); p = 0.012], being a frontline worker [AOR = 25.760; 95% CI (14.220, 46.667); p < 0.001], visiting Hubei in the previous 14 days [AOR = 3.656; 95% CI (1.500, 8.911); p = 0.004], self-punishment [AOR = 1.352; 95% CI (1.180, 1.548); p < 0.001], and self-dialogue [AOR = 1.256; 95% CI (11.063, 1.483); p = 0.007] were the risk factors for ASD. Conversely, having frontline medical staff in one's family [AOR = 0.523; 95% CI (0.297, 0.923); p = 0.025], self-sets [AOR = 0.814; 95% CI (0.715, 0.826); p = 0.002], and belief hypothesis and evaluation [AOR = 0.796; 95% CI (0.672, 0.943); p = 0.038] were the protective factors. Conclusion: The special working environment of the COVID-19 epidemic resulted in ASR and ASD. Notably, findings revealed a positive association between ASR symptoms and frontline medical staff, the subjective estimation of epidemic duration, self-punishment, and successful foresight. Nevertheless, marital status, having visited Hubei in the previous 14 days, and self-dialogue were the risk factors accounting for ASD symptoms. Surprisingly, having frontline medical staff in one's family, self-sets, and belief hypothesis and evaluation had potential benefits for ASD symptoms.

Relationship Between Acute Stress Responses and Quality of Life in Chinese Health Care Workers During the COVID-19 Outbreak.

This study aimed to determine the relationship between acute stress and quality of life and explore their influencing factors on health care workers. A descriptive cross-sectional study was conducted, and a sample of 525 health care workers was recruited from 15 hospitals through a convenient sampling method. Participants completed an online self-report questionnaire to assess their acute stress and quality of life. Descriptive and multiple linear regression statistics were used for this analysis. The results regarding acute stress responses varied significantly among the differences in marital status, physical activity, work status, perceived risk of contracting COVID-19, and the expected duration of the pandemic. Moreover, a younger age, lack of physical activity, being a front-line medical staff, and higher acute stress scores indicated a worse quality of life. Healthcare workers' acute stress was negatively correlated with their quality of life. Therefore, the authorities should pay special attention to health care workers' mental health and provide them with timely protection during the pandemic.