Research Information System
LOKMAN HEKIM HEALTH SCIENCES, vol.3, no.2, pp.87-98, 2023 (Peer-Reviewed Journal)
Introduction: In addition to experiencing anxiety due to the first clinical practice, students also experience anxiety
due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The aim of this study is to determine the fear of COVID-19 during the first clinical
experiences and experiences of students during the pandemic period.
Methods: The research was carried out using the mixed method. The study was conducted with second-year students
(n=38) of a health-related university in Turkiye. The qualitative data were collected through semistructured interviews.
The interview records were transcribed for the analysis of qualitative data and analyzed using Colaizzi’s phenomenological
analysis method. The quantitative data were analyzed using numbers and percentages (%), minimum and
maximum values, and mean±standard deviation (Mean±SD) values. Since the parametric conditions were met, Student’s
t test was used to determine the difference between the two mean values.
Results: Of the students included in the study, 92.1% were females with a mean age of 21.00±0.89 years. The mean score of
the Fear of COVID-19 Scale was 23.26±7.40 with a range of 8–35. Four themes were obtained from the qualitative data: pandemic-
related experiences, first clinical experience, profession-related thoughts (professional role), and clinical supervision.
Discussion and Conclusion: The results of the study showed that the positive approach of the nurses and the support
of university educators are effective in ensuring students embrace the profession and develop themselves professionally,
in addition to emphasizing the importance of collaboration between the hospital and the university.