Abstract

Purpose: In this case report, it was aimed to reveal the experiences of a nursing student when she was diagnosed with covid-19.

Design and Method: The study is a case report. The data were collected by interviewing a nursing student covid-19 patients with a diagnosis of Covid-19.

Finding: It was been determined to that she experience severe symptoms of covid-19 such as shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting in nursing student. In addition to physiological difficulties, our case had to face psychological problems such as lack of social support, loneliness, sadness and anxiety due to its isolated environment and the desire to protect its family. In addition, she had difficulties studying due to headache and muscle pain caused by covid-19.

Results: In the case report, valuable findings about covid-19 were presented and in addition, the difficulties experienced by the nursing student when diagnosed with covid-19 were presented.

Keywords: Covid-19, Outbreak, Nursing student

Citation: Melike YC. Covid-19 in a nursing student: Case report. J Clin Images Med Case Rep. 2021; 2(1): 1012.

Background

The coronavirus (Covid-19) infection that occurred in Wuhan, China in December 2019 has affected the whole World [1] .The transmission of the disease by droplet caused a rapid spread. Rapid spreading caused the number of infected people to be higher than expected [1]. Shortly afterwards, coronovirus (covid -19) infection was declared as a pandemic epidemic [2].

Coronovirus (covid-19) belongs to the same group of viruses that cause Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) and Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) [3,4]. The virus causes serious acute respiratory infections and progresses asymptomatic, mild or severe symptomatic [4,5]. Nurses have been at the forefront of those who have been struggling with various diseases and outbreaks throughout history. Nursing is a professional profession with a scientific foundation Ethics, philosophy, theory, and nursing models are included in the components of nursing profession science and professionalism [6]. Nurses review the patients with these equipment, plan the steps of the nursing process and apply the care to help the patient return to normal conditions [7,8]. In this pandemic process, nurses were always at the forefront and faced with vital risks in order to fulfill their duties. Nurses in close contact with Covid-19 patients were vulnerable to infection and faced the spread of the virus to both their colleagues and family members [9,10].

It is stated that teenagers play a more role in the spread of COVID-19, which is effective not only in the elderly population but also in all age groups. Although it is thought that teenagers overcome this disease slightly, new data do not confirm this situation. In fact, the views of some experts are that in the future, teenagers will be more severely affected by Covid-19 [11-13]. However, according to my observations and my interviews with young people with covid-19 positivity, covid-19 positivity in young people is now quite common and the symptoms in young people are quite severe. Therefore, in this study, it is aimed to present the covid-19 positivity process experienced by a nursing student with covid19 positivity, in order to reveal that the idea that covid-19 affects young people less is wrong for a long time.

Design & method

The study is a case report. The data were collected by interviewing a nursing student was patient of Covid-19. Due to the pandemic, communication was provided with the nursing student by phone. In the first interview, the nursing student was asked whether she wanted to participate in the study or not, and when she agreed to participate, an appointment was made for a suitable day. Later, a video call was made with the nurse on 01.01.2021.

Interview questions
• What are the symptoms you experience when you have Covid-19?
• Could you share your experiences when you learn that your Covid-19 (PCR) test is positive?
• How did Covid-19 positivity create limitations in your daily life activities?

Results

Our case is an 18-year-old 2nd grade nursing student. He does not have an additional chronic disease, and our patient stated that he complied with the mask and distance rules and was very surprised when covid-19 happened. The headings prepared according to the statements of the case are listed below;

I-Theme: Covid symptoms

It has been stated that during the pandemic process, teenagers had mild covid-19 and did not even show symptoms [14,15]. In studies conducted, symptoms caused by covid-19 positivity were detected as low-moderate fever or fever, while rhinitis, cough, fatigue, headache, diarrhea and severe shortness of breath, cyanosis and anorexia [15-17] However, covid-19 symptoms in teens are not as insignificant as one might think.The symptoms in our case are as follows;

“Headache, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, high fever, dry cough, weakness, pain in muscles and joints, pain in my eyelids, muscles, loss of taste and smell, diarrhea. Also, CRP, LYMPH%, MPV are high. PCR test was positive and there was a ground glass image on tomography.”

The most common symptoms at onset of COVID-19 illness are fever, cough, and fatigue, while other symptoms include sputum production, headache, haemoptysis, diarrhoea, dyspnoea, and lymphopenia [18-21].

II- Thema: Living when you were diagnosed with covid-19

It is not desired to increase psychological health problems during this epidemic process, but this is a possible situation. Although intensive studies have been carried out to investigate the pathophysiology, clinical results and treatment of COVID-19, the lack of a clear solution yet, the fact that it is a deadly virus, causing health concerns such as being a virulent virus drives individuals to worry and fear [1]. In a study conducted by McAlonan et al. With 176 health workers using the Depression - Anxiety - Stress Scale21, it was stated that health workers had higher depression, anxiety and stress scores than the normal population [22]. Likewise, in a study conducted by Lai et al. With 1257 healthcare workers in China during the coronavirus epidemic, it was found that healthcare workers had high levels of stress, anxiety, and depression [23]. In this case, the person stated that he had feelings of loneliness, fear and anxiety. He also stated that he did not have enough social support to protect his family and prevent them from being upset, and that he was even forced to meet his own needs. The statements of our case on this subject were as follows; “When I found out that I was covid-19, I was very scared, the first thing that came to my mind was death. the person feels helpless. My quarantine process took 14 days, and it was very tiring and difficult for me to no get my family’s support. My first family came to mind, I was worried that they had been infected too, then I was afraid, worried, sad, desperate to cry in case I would be seriously ill and die”.

In the study conducted by Kwek et al. To determine the psychological status and quality of life of the patients treated with SARS, after 3 months, the SF-36 Quality of Life Scale score of healthcare workers was lower than other patients [24]. Studies also show that depression, anxiety and quality of life are negatively affected during epidemic processes. People experience stress as a natural, normal and necessary response when faced with a dangerous situation. Emotions experienced with stress are especially anger and anger. If the stimuli that cause stress are not coped, the feeling of pessimism emerges as a secondary emotion. The most obvious of the psychological disorders that occur in individuals as a result of stress; anxiety, depression, insomnia and fatigue [25,26].

III-Theme: Limitations in your daily life activities

The negative effects of cvid-19 on people are quite high. The symptoms caused by covid-1 in individuals are severe enough to disrupt the daily life activities of the individuals. Symptoms such as pain, vomiting, and diarrhea create a very challenging situation for individuals and limiting daily life activities [27-29]. These symptoms seen with covid-19 have severely limited his life in our case. The statements of our case are as follows;

“I was so short of breath that I didn’t even want to move. I was sweating a lot as I moved. I also had a very severe headache and pain in my muscles and joints. these pains lasted for 3-4 days. That’s why I took a break from my education, I could not attend my classes, I could not do my homework”.

Conclusion

As a result of this case report; it was been determined to that she experience severe symptoms of covid-19 such as shortness of breath, headache, nausea and vomiting in nursing student. In addition to physiological difficulties, our case had to face psychological problems such as lack of social support, loneliness, sadness and anxiety due to its isolated environment and the desire to protect its family. In addition, she had difficulties studying due to headache and muscle pain caused by covid-19.

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