Emotional intelligence and self-esteem among Saudi Arabian and Indian nursing students: findings from two countries.

INTRODUCTION: Understanding the emotional intelligence (EI) and self-esteem of Indian and Saudi nursing students is important because their future nurse-patient relationships may be influenced by factors related to their unique cultural contexts. Hence, this study sought to investigate the EI and self-esteem of nursing students in Saudi Arabia and India. METHODS: A descriptive-comparative research design was used to compare 660 nursing students from Saudi Arabia and India who were enrolled in the study from September 2022 to January 2023. Nursing students were recruited from University A in Riyadh and University B in Abha, Saudi Arabia, and from University C in India. RESULTS: The study found significant differences in EI scores based on year of study (p < .011), age (p < .024), residence (p < .005), and academic performance (p < .008). Students in later years, over 20 years old, from urban areas, and with good grades, had higher EI scores. Conversely, only age showed a significant difference in the self-esteem scores (p < .002). The year of study (p > .670), residence (p > .430), and academic performance (p > .526) did not significantly affect self-esteem. Finally, urban residence and good academic performance were significant predictors of EI (p < .005), while none of the demographics predicted self-esteem (p > .005). CONCLUSION: Higher emotional intelligence among nursing students can be associated with several variables, such as being in the higher years of study, older age, residing in an urban area, and good academic performance, whereas self-esteem appears to be hardly affected by these indicators but probably influenced by other aspects that were not measured. This implies that educators in relation to self-esteem should know the relationship between emotional intelligence and nursing practice besides healthcare establishments; they need to enhance their teaching methods so that learners can have more resilient attitudes towards work, provide quality patient care, and promote a better learning environment for nurses who will become stronger professionally in the future.

Psychological effects of COVID- 19 lockdown among Aseer residents, Saudi Arabia.

Objectives: To analyse the impact on mental health of the lockdown forced by the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic. METHODS: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was conducted in Aseer, Saudi Arabia, in May and June 2020, and comprised adult natives of either gender ho could read and write Arabic. Data was collected using a self-developed questionnaire which was distributed online via Google Forms. Data was analysed using SPSS 22. RESULTS: Of the 306 respondents, 238(77.8%) were females, 163(53.3%) were age 18-30 years 121(39.5%) were students, 166(54.2%) lived in a joint family, 257(84%) had undergone university education, 157(51.3%) were single, and 247(80.7%) resided in urban areas. During the lockdowns, 195(60%) participants felt moderate distress symptoms. Emotional distress and gender were significantly interlinked (p<0.01). CONCLUSIONS: The lockdowns forced by the coronavirus disease-2019 pandemic had a moderate impact on the mental health of the participants, especially on females.

Impact of Sleep and Psychological Well-Being on the Academic and Clinical Performance of Nursing Students in Saudi Arabia.

Introduction: Nursing students frequently encounter the challenge of balancing their studies with the demanding requirements of hands-on practice and this can greatly affect their mental wellbeing. This study aimed to investigate the impact of sleep and psychological well-being on the academic and clinical performance of nursing students in Saudi Arabia. Methods: This study used a cross-sectional approach with 218 student nurses selected through convenience sampling from King Khalid University, Abha, Saudi Arabia. The sleep quality, psychological wellbeing, academic performance and clinical performance questionnaires were adopted to measure the variables. The Google Forms survey was used to gather the data, which were collected in August through October 2023. t-test and chi-square were used to analyze the data. Results: The sleep quality was higher with good/very good performers (p < 0.001). There was a significant difference with academic performance on positive relations (p < 0.007) and purpose in life (p < 0.004). Additionally, there was a significant difference in autonomy (p < 0.01), environmental mastery (p < 0.026), positive relations (p < 0.001), and purpose in life (p < 0.001) with clinical performance. Among students with good academic performance, those who were older than 25 years of age (p < 0.043) and level 3 students (p < 0.001) were found to have a significant correlation. Furthermore, those who were 25 years of age (p < 0.012) and level 3 students (p < 0.001) were also found to have a significant correlation with clinical performance. Conclusion: The sleep quality, positive relations, purpose in life, autonomy, and environmental mastery are all important factors for academic and clinical success. Moreover, older students and level 3 students may be more likely to have the skills and knowledge necessary to succeed in these areas. Further research exploring factors influencing academic and clinical success must be conducted.