A Descriptive Study to Assess the Knowledge on Homesickness and Coping Strategies used by the Students to Cope with Homesickness among the Students in Selected College of Nursing, New Delhi

Abstract

Home is a word that brings comfort to the soul, that names a place we want to return to, that makes us feel safe, loved and nurtured. Homesickness is the reminder for you what truly matters in your life. Home sickness is the distress or impairment caused by an actual or anticipated separation from home. It is cognitive hall mark that is preoccupying thought of home and attachment objects. A descriptive study to assess the knowledge on homesickness and coping strategies used by the students to cope with homesickness among the students in selected college of nursing, New Delhi. Objectives of the study were to assess the knowledge regarding homesickness and the coping strategies used by students to cope with homesickness among students in Rufaida College of Nursing, New Delhi.  To develop and disseminate the informational pamphlet on homesickness and effective coping strategies among students in Rufaida College of Nursing, New Delhi. A quantitative approach using exploratory survey design was carried out on 100 students studying in Rufaida College of Nursing, Jamia Hamdard using google form. Purposive sampling technique was used. The structured knowledge questionnaire and structured Likert scale was used to assess the knowledge and attitude regarding coping strategies to cope with homesickness used by the nursing students. Experts from Rufaida college of Nursing and other Nursing colleges established the content validity of the tool and pamphlet. The majority of the sample subjects i.e., 45% (45) had average knowledge, 37% (37) had good knowledge and 18% (18) had poor knowledge regarding homesickness. Positive coping strategies were passively used by 58% of nursing students while actively used by 42% of nursing students and negative coping strategies were passively used by 49% of nursing students while actively used by 51% of nursing students. After the study it can be concluded that there is a need to provide knowledge on homesickness and effective usage of positive coping strategies to avoid psychological and mental health issues in student nurses because of homesickness. Therefore an informational pamphlet is also developed and disseminated among the student nurses of Rufaida College of Nursing, New Delhi.