ISRRT_COVID-19_book

procedures that students could performed – participation in high-risk cases such as aerosol
generating procedures and patients with acute respiratory infection symptoms were
prohibited. Clearly, there are implications on professional competency and future progression
from student to novice professional.
The outbreak of COVID-19 may be stressful, and the pandemic has brought about greater
attention for psychological health. Confusion and frustration were expected responses from
the students who had to face with uncertainty amid the pandemic 6 . Most students are
adaptive and innovative, and over a period, they develop stress management and adopt new
learning strategies as previous strategies may be more suited for traditional teaching and
learning. However, one should not neglect the impact of COVID-19 on students’ emotional,
mental and interpersonal well-being. There are various reports on the pandemic affecting
mental health of the population, including students. Students can also be subjected to
additional emotional impact from their failure in assessment during clinical placements.
Coupled with the need to maximise learning in the clinical setting despite various restrictions
and limitations, this can take a significant toll on the mental health of students.
Undoubtedly, during a coronavirus outbreak, it is paramount to understand the impact of
such changes on the students and what it means to all educators. Only then can we better
support our students’ social, emotional, and learning needs after the huge disruption of
COVID-19.
New Norms
With COVID-19 a universal crisis, the impact will be lifelong. The aftermath of this pandemic
will also see emergence of new norms. Indeed, many of these new norms are a result of our
response to the students’ specific needs which can enact the most impactful changes.
Right now, the coronavirus pandemic is forcing tectonic shifts in the delivery of education.
With the rise of virtual learning, there is a notion for such learning to be better integrated
with traditional lectures to deliver more value-added teaching. One can also integrate videos
into teaching materials to keep students fully engaged. Similarly, interactive tutorials and
social media can also be utilised to augment learning. Such resources can provide bite size
portions of information that can support learning and clinical care. Alternatively, online game-
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