Improving and Restoring the Well-being and Resilience of Pharmacy Students during a Pandemic

Abstract

During times of stress, such as those experienced during the novel coronavirus identified in 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, pharmacy students handle the experience differently. For some, the experience may negatively impact their sense of well-being; for others, being at home with family could actually improve their well-being. While students are completing academic work at home and after they finally return to campus, pharmacy schools need to be keenly aware of students' experiences and implement strategies to build their resilience and improve their well-being. One approach will not meet the needs of all students. Many of the challenges that pharmacy students have faced or will face when they return to the classroom are discussed along with some programs and activities that have proven successful.

Psychological impacts from COVID-19 among university students: Risk factors across seven states in the United States

“…Given the large percentage of students assigned to the high psychological impact profile, universities would be well-served to address the mental health needs of their entire student body. Select programs that have promoted mental health—such as those at the University of Connecticut, University of Kentucky, and Northeastern—include virtual group exercise and meditation/mindfulness sessions, accountability buddies and exercise challenges and tele-medicine/counseling visits [ 99 ]. These group meetings may be helpful not only in lowering anxiety but also in decreasing the sense of isolation reported by the students in this study.…”

“…Normal venues where people congregate such as places of worship, gyms, cafeterias, yoga studios and classes can be replicated online or even held outdoors in temperate weather on a schedule similar to what was in place prior to the pandemic [ 116 ]. Other recently-successful interventions include the facilitated online sharing of recipes, books, and podcasts as well as virtual movie, game, trivia, or happy hour nights [ 99 ]. Providing support to student organizations to coordinate these virtual social activities could accelerate the availability of these resources.…”

Investigating Mental Health of US College Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Cross-Sectional Survey Study

“…At an institutional level, online remote activities and services can be implemented to provide support to students that help address concerns related to the pandemic. For example, Schlesselman et al [ 27 ] provided a list of activities that can potentially support students in fitness, socialization, and academic success (eg, virtual group exercise, virtual movie night, and virtual office hours). However, there is no one-size-fits-all solution.…”

Intervention and Improved Well-Being of Basic Science Researchers During the COVID 19 Era: A Case Study

“…During the laboratory meetings, some engaging games were also played to overcome stress. The empowering sessions were developed based on vast knowledge, emotional intelligence, and the experience of our diverse group, as well as available literatures ( World Health Organization, 2004 ; Shultz et al, 2016 ; Hendriks et al, 2017 ; Seyedin et al, 2019 ; Jiménez et al, 2020 ; Schlesselman et al, 2020 ). We compiled the following discussion topics to empower each other.…”