Health crises caused by viral zoonoses over the past few years, such as the current Covid-19 pandemic, have overwhelmed the resources of healthcare systems, requiring the incorporation of nursing students to provide support during this crisis. Although the level of knowledge about the control and management of symptoms and the care of the infected patient during the epidemic was assessed, there are currently no recommendations to train students to deal with these situations.

As a result of the concerns of teachers in the nursing department about the impact of viral zoonoses on nursing students, researchers and professors Blanca Goñi, Laia Wennberg, Leandra Martín, Cristina Alfonso, Maria Luisa Martín and Cristina Monforte analysed how nursing students were being trained in pandemic management and control.

Entitled “Experiencies and needs of nursing students during pandemic outbreaks: A systematic overview of the literatura”, the research team led by Dr Cristina Monforte, undertook a systematic review of the scientific literature on the impact of viral zoonoses on nursing students and their training, by analysing 48 papers published since the first SARS virus was identified in China. “The results show that there is no consensus in training programmes on control, epidemic management, patient care and attitude to patient care among students,” explained Blanca Goñi, the main author of the article.

The paper, published in the Journal of Professional Nursing, shows that training for nurses needs to be improved to ensure that students acquire the necessary knowledge in the prevention and control of infections, while developing the skills and attitudes that care for infected patients during a pandemic requires. “This will enable future nurses to be prepared to deal with any new pandemics that may arise in an increasingly globalised world,” said Goñi.