Spirituality, Religiosity, Caring Behavior, Spiritual Care, and Personalized Care Among Student Nurses: A Descriptive Correlational Study in the Philippines.

This study sought to determine the student nurses' spirituality, religiosity, caring behavior, spiritual care, and personalized care. Further, it sought to determine the relationship between spirituality, religiosity, and caring behavior in student nurses' spiritual care and personalized care. The study used a descriptive correlational design using convenience sampling to collect data from 1248 student nurses in the Philippines from December 2023 to February 2024. We collected data using the Spirituality and Spiritual Care Scale rating scale and the Caring Behaviors Inventory. The study revealed that the mean scores of the students in their "spirituality" and "religiosity" were 4.08 (SD = 0.98) and 2.99 (SD = 1.26), respectively. Student nurses had sufficient confidence and skills in spiritual care, caring behavior, and personalized care. The students' age had a weak and negative association with the students' spirituality and religiosity. Students from University A had higher levels of spirituality and religiosity than students from University B, University C, and University D. Students in the 4th year level were more religious than 3rd year students. Students who had their last clinical exposure in the Admission and emergency room reported poorer caring behaviors than those who had previous clinical exposure in the Medical-surgical ward, Obstetrics and gynecology, Intensive Care Units, and Community. There is no significant relationship between a student nurse's spiritual care and caring behavior. This trend is similar to caring behavior and personalized care. The students' age predicts their personalized care.

Consequences of the hospital nursing research culture: Perspective of staff nurses.

Objective: Research plays a critical role in molding nursing as a profession. Healthcare organizations are challenged to build an organizational culture that cultivates the development of nursing research. Creating a culture of nursing research is constantly branded a vital component in advancing nursing science. Therefore, this study described nurses' perceptions about their hospital's nursing research culture. Methods: Semi-structured personal interviews were used to collect data. Seventeen staff nurses were selected to participate in the study by purposive sampling method from December 2022 to April 2023 in the eastern Philippines. The researchers used Braun and Clarke's thematic approach to analyze the qualitative data. Results: The analysis revealed three central themes and seven subthemes: influencing behavior and performance of the employee (help in research information and learning, flexibility and adaptability, collaboration and communication among employees), influencing staff nurses' research participation (leadership strategies, training and professional development), and affecting hospitals to adapt to change (organizational performance and success, employee engagement and job satisfaction). Conclusions: The findings support the benefits of a positive nursing research culture in hospitals due to its critical role in shaping nurses' behavior and performance, participation in nursing research, and hospital adaptation to changes. Collectively, these themes contribute to a deeper understanding of the multifaceted impact that a culture of nursing research can have on various levels of the healthcare system.

Highly Educated Mother's Perception of Childhood Vaccination Hesitancy in Kazakhstan: A Thematic Analysis.

Background: Vaccine hesitancy among parents directly affects the child's vaccination status since they are the legal decision-makers regarding vaccinating their children. The study aimed to describe the perceptions of highly educated Kazakhstani mothers about childhood vaccination hesitancy. Methods: The study utilized a thematic analysis to explore the mothers' perceptions. A sample of 95 participants comprehensively answered the free-text questions in an online questionnaire from January to February 2023. The analysis of the free-text responses followed a semantic thematic analysis approach. The data were coded manually. Results: From the in-depth analysis of the data, 285 initial codes were extracted. The combination of similar meanings and concept codes led to 14 sub-themes and finally yielded four significant themes: misconceptions about childhood vaccination, fear of the effect of vaccine on children, distrust of the healthcare system, and social learning factors. Conclusion: The perceptions of Kazakh mothers about childhood vaccination hesitancy may lead to behaviors of delaying and refusing some or all childhood vaccines. Therefore, motivational and educational strategies can be used by healthcare providers to instill trust in parents about childhood vaccines and their safety and effectiveness.

Environmental sustainability in healthcare: A qualitative study of the perspectives of nursing, medical and public health students in Kazakhstan.

THE AIM WAS: This study explored the perspectives of nursing, medical and public health students on environmental sustainability in healthcare. BACKGROUND: The healthcare sector has increasingly recognized the importance of adopting environmental sustainability over the past few years. This growing awareness emphasizes the need to thoroughly assess the connection between health care and environmental responsibility. DESIGN: Qualitative descriptive-exploratory design. METHODS: This study explored the views on environmental sustainability in health care of 29 nursing, medical and public health students at three universities in Kazakhstan through focus group discussions. Thematic analysis was used in the data analysis. Data collection was carried out from June to August 2023. RESULTS: Using semantic thematic analysis, 209 initial codes were extracted, and then similar codes and meanings were grouped, leading to 21 categories until the development of the five significant themes. The five main themes are 'the impact of the environment on health', 'environmental sustainability practices in healthcare care', 'the importance of interdisciplinary collaboration in environmental sustainability in healthcare', 'intrinsic motivation to engage in environmental sustainability practices in healthcare' and 'challenges and barriers to practicing environmental sustainability in healthcare'. CONCLUSIONS: The study findings suggest the critical aspect of addressing environmental sustainability through interprofessional collaboration and working on intrinsic motivation among health professionals. Furthermore, our study contributes in several ways to our understanding of environmental sustainability in healthcare. Provides a basis for clinicians, educators and policy makers to consider adding sustainability to their agenda to prepare future health professionals.

Influence of student nurses' perceived caring behavior of their instructors on their psychological well-being: a cross-sectional study.

AIM: This study aimed to understand the influence of clinical instructors' caring behavior on the psychological well-being of student nurses. DESIGN: This study survey used the quantitative cross-sectional research design. METHOD: The sample comprised 405 Saudi nursing students studying at Shaqra University. The study used two instruments: the "Nursing Students' Perceptions of Instructor Caring" and the "Student Well-being Process Questionnaire." Convenience sampling was used to collect data from November 2021 to February 2022. RESULT: The students' perceived Instructor caring was high. The psychological well-being of students was high. There were significant variations in the students' perceived Instructor's caring in terms of year level. A very weak positive correlation existed between the student nurses' rank in their families and their perceived Instructor's caring. Furthermore, gender, year level, family structure, and the Instructor's caring subscales "supportive learning climate," "appreciation of life's meaning," and "control versus flexibility" were significant predictors of the student's psychological well-being. CONCLUSION: The study's results support studies that nursing students' psychological well-being is influenced by their gender, family structure, year level, and perceived Instructor's caring behavior.

Assessing the psychometric properties of the Arabic version of the Nursing Practice Readiness Scale among Saudi nursing students.

Readiness to practice nursing is essential for nursing students to ensure that they are conscientious, have a sense of responsibility, and are rational in performing their clinical practice. This study tested the psychometric properties of the "Nursing Practice Readiness Scale" Arabic version (NPRS-A) to assess Saudi nursing students' readiness to practice nursing in clinical settings. This study used a methodological design to examine the psychometric properties of the NPRS-A among 373 nursing students in Saudi Arabia. The findings provide evidence of the NPRS-A's good content validity. The PCA revealed five distinct components with a "cumulative variance explained" of 69.2%. The test of difference on the nursing practice preparedness between students from different levels showed that students in the 2nd year were less prepared than junior and senior nursing students. The correlation test showed that a higher GPA and higher self-reported readiness are more ready to practice nursing in clinical settings. The research showed an overall Cronbach's alpha of 0.957. The establishment of the NPRS-A is significant, not only in Saudi Arabia but other Arabic-speaking countries. Nurse educators and nursing education policymakers can use this version to assess nursing students' learning needs to be prepared to practice nursing.

Influence of the Psychological Effect of COVID-19 on Saudi Student Nurses' Attitudes toward Nursing and Their Future Career Plans.

BACKGROUND: The effects of COVID-19 on the attitude of student nurses toward the nursing profession remain unclear because few studies have been conducted on this topic. Thus, this study examines the influence of the psychological effects of COVID-19 on student nurses' attitudes toward the nursing profession and their desire to become nurses. METHOD: The study utilised a quantitative, cross-sectional, and observational design. It surveyed a convenience sample of 726 student nurses in Saudi Arabia during the first semester of the 2021-2022 academic year. RESULTS: The students reported low levels of COVID-19 fear, anxiety, stress, phobia, and obsession. The students reported positive attitudes toward the nursing profession and 86.0% highlighted their desire to continue with nursing as their future profession. Gender, knowing someone infected with COVID-19, confidence in the government's pandemic response, fear, anxiety, and phobia were significant predictors of the nurses' attitudes. Community, family members in the profession, "COVID-19-related anxiety", and "preference for the nursing profession" were significant predictors of the student's desire to continue nursing. CONCLUSIONS: Living in a rural community, having family members in the nursing profession, having low levels of COVID-19-related anxiety, and having positive attitudes toward nursing increased the likelihood of nursing students continuing their nursing careers during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Face Mask Use and Social Distancing Attitude of Healthcare Students: A Multi-Disciplinary Study.

This multi-disciplinary, cross-sectional, and descriptive study investigated health care students' face mask use knowledge, attitude, and practices (KAP) and social distancing attitudes. The study was carried out from October to December 2021 and surveyed 543 health care students selected via convenience sampling from the three Shaqra University campuses in Saudi Arabia. Standard multiple linear regressions were conducted on face mask use KAP and social distancing attitude to identify their significant associated factors. The students in this study had poor knowledge and a neutral attitude towards and modest use practices of face masks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Being female, being a nursing student, and having greater self-reported COVID-19-prevention knowledge were related to higher levels of face mask use knowledge. Having higher face mask use knowledge was linked to better attitude and practice. Knowledge of COVID-19 and its prevention and decreased COVID-19 risk perception were associated with better face mask use practices. The students had more positive than negative attitudes toward social distancing. Having known someone who was infected by the virus, lower risk perception, and better face mask use practices were associated with more positive social distancing attitudes. The findings imply the need to ensure that future health care practitioners are knowledgeable, have a positive attitude and good practices concerning face mask use, and have positive attitudes toward social distancing. The study implications are relevant for health care education in Saudi Arabia and elsewhere.

Saudi Nurse Interns' Experiences during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Thematic Approach.

BACKGROUND: The learning process for nurses, including internships, was affected during the COVID-19 pandemic, which may have made the nurse internship program more challenging and stressful for participants. Therefore, it is significant to explore the experiences of nurse interns during COVID-19. AIM: This study aimed to explore Saudi nurse interns' field experiences during the pandemic. DESIGN: The study utilised descriptive phenomenological qualitative research and a thematic approach. METHODS: A total of 19 nurse interns participated in the study, which was conducted in Saudi Arabia. Participants undertook an internship program at different government hospitals in five cities in Saudi Arabia. Unstructured individual interviews were conducted to gather data from the participants. RESULTS: The findings revealed five themes: being passionate, lacking knowledge and skills, being concerned about their families, being cautious, and being unoriented. CONCLUSION: The study findings document that the struggles of nurse interns in their internship programs during COVID-19 were related to their lack of knowledge, their family, and the working environment.

Testing the validity and reliability of the Arabic version of the Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale among Saudi nursing students.

AIM: The study tested the validity and reliability of the "Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale" Arabic version (DRSES-A) among Saudi nursing students. BACKGROUND: Disaster self-efficacy is one such factor of increasing interest. Little research has explored disaster response self-efficacy despite growing evidence on disaster response preparedness in Saudi Arabia. A systematic, standardized and valid instrument is needed to assess disaster self-efficacy in the Saudi context. The DRSES is one of the tools with excellent psychometric properties that can evaluate the nursing students' perceived self-efficacy in disaster preparation, mitigation and response. DESIGN: This investigation is a quantitative methodological design testing the validity and reliability of the DRSES-A. METHOD: In this study, 290 Saudi nursing students were surveyed from May to June 2021 in the three government universities in Saudi Arabia using the convenience sampling technique. The Disaster Response Self-Efficacy Scale underwent a linguistic adaptation following a forward-backward translation method. Construct validity was established using the principal component analysis to extract the components of DRSES-A. RESULT: The overall mean of the DRSES-A was 3.41 (SD = 0.75). The overall Cronbach alpha was 0.939. The subscales "Onsite rescue" and "Psychological nursing" had a similar alpha of 0.911, while "Role quality and adaptation" had a computed alpha of 0.878. The expert rated all item content validity index as 1 with an average score content validity index of 1. The principal component analysis supported a three-factor DRSES-A. CONCLUSION: The DRSES-A is a valid and reliable scale that can measure Arabic-speaking baccalaureate nursing students' self-reported disaster response self-efficacy.

Willingness to care for older people and associated factors in pre-registered student nurses: A multi-country survey study.

BACKGROUND: Addressing nursing students' lack of interest in providing care for the aged population is a global challenge for nursing educators. Despite global interest in student nurses' readiness for older people care, almost all the literature has been identified from single countries, predominantly with high income per capita. At present, no study has been conducted to provide evidence-based data related to this topic from a multi-country perspective. OBJECTIVE: The study's purpose was to examine the willingness to work with older persons and associated factors among student nurses from nine countries (or regions). DESIGN: This study utilized a correlational and cross-sectional design. SETTINGS: This was a multi-country survey study conducted in China, Chile, Egypt, Hong Kong, India, Greece, the State of Palestine (henceforth Palestine), the Philippines, and Saudi Arabia. PARTICIPANTS: 2250 baccalaureate nursing students were recruited from 10 universities in this study. METHODS: The survey that was used to collect data comprised four parts: socio-demographic data, attitude toward aging, older person care perception, and willingness to work with such group. RESULTS: Respondents in five regions (including Mainland China, Greece, Hong Kong, Palestine, and Saudi Arabia) stated that older persons were the least favored group for future career choices. In comparison with mainland China, respondents in Chile, India, and the Philippines were significantly more likely to be willing to care for older patients, but those in Egypt and Greece indicated a lower tendency to choose this option. Favorable attitudes toward aging and older person care perception were significantly associated with having the willingness to provide care to gerontologic patients in the future. CONCLUSIONS: Although attitudes toward aging and older person care perception have long been confirmed as important factors that are linked with willingness in caring for older people, this study adds that location is a more influential factor. Additional research in other countries is needed to advance the knowledge in this important area.

Nurses' spiritual well-being and the COVID-19 pandemic: A thematic approach.

AIMS: This study explores nurses' perceived spiritual well-being in the workplace during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: Nurses have been working heavy shifts under challenging workplace conditions during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to anxiety and psychological stress. These various challenges at work place their spiritual well-being at risk. METHODS: An unstructured individual online interview was conducted to collect data from 18 nurses from April to August 2021. Data were analysed using the thematic approach. RESULTS: This study highlighted the four themes of spiritual well-being of nurses, namely, "Trust in God," "spiritual encouragement," "spiritual attributes in the workplace," and "spiritual growth." CONCLUSIONS: The study concludes that spirituality is critical in helping nurses overcome the myriad of adversities they face as they assume their important roles during the ongoing pandemic. IMPLICATION FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The study emphasizes that nurses' spiritual aspect during crises is equally important with the other aspects of a nurse's life. Moreover, policies and interventions in hospitals must be implemented to ensure excellent levels of spiritual well-being among nurses.

Work engagement of nurses and the influence of spiritual climate of hospitals: A cross-sectional study.

AIM: This investigation was endeavoured to study the influence of the hospital's spiritual climate on nurse's work engagement in Saudi Arabia. BACKGROUND: Creating a safe clinical environment for nurses to express their spirituality despite preferences or religiosity is essential to increase work productivity, satisfaction and commitment. METHOD: This quantitative and cross-sectional research surveyed a convenience sample of 302 nurses employing the 'Utrecht Work Engagement Scale' and 'Spiritual Climate Scale'. RESULTS: The overall average of the respondents in work engagement was 4.33 (SD = 1.10), with more nurses reporting high or very high work engagement (53.7%). The hospital, age and spiritual climate were recognized as significant predictors of 'vigour'. The hospital's spiritual climate was the only significant factor influencing nurses' 'dedication'. The hospital and spiritual climate significantly influenced the variable 'absorption'. CONCLUSION: Having a positive hospital spiritual climate was associated with better work engagement among nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: The findings underscore the significance of ensuring that hospitals have positive spiritual climate and a clinical area that respects, accepts and welcomes various spirituality of nurses. Therefore, nurse managers should ensure that the spirituality of nurses has a safe home in the hospital.

Predictors of nursing students' intention to receive COVID-19 vaccination: A multi-university study in Saudi Arabia.

AIMS: This study examined the predictors of student nurses' intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. We measured the nursing students' risk perceptions, anxiety, fears and beliefs on COVID-19 vaccine; attitudes towards it and vaccine literacy (VL). DESIGN: This study is a multi-university study utilizing the quantitative, cross-sectional and predictive approach. METHODS: Using convenience sampling (n = 1170), we surveyed 10 Saudi universities from November 26, 2020, to December 31, 2020. Forward stepwise multinomial logistic regression was performed in identifying the factors predicting student nurses' intention to vaccinate against COVID-19. RESULTS: The overall mean in the risk perception, anxiety and fear was 9.59 (SD = 2.82, possible range = 1-15), 3.95 (SD = 4.77, possible range = 0-20) and 18.17 (SD = 6.65, possible range = 7-35) respectively. They also reported a mean of 29.90 (SD = 6.56, possible range = 8-40) on COVID-19 belief. COVID-19 positive and negative attitudes mean score was 3.64 (SD = 0.92) and 2.72 (SD = 0.90) in a 1-4 range of scores respectively. The functional and interactive-critical COVID-19 VL of the students were at moderate levels. More than half of the respondents (55.9%) intended to be vaccinated against COVID-19, 17.6% did not intend to do so and 26.5% were unsure. High-risk perceptions, low levels of COVID-19 anxiety, positive beliefs and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine, and high levels of interactive-critical COVID-19 VL were significant predictors of student nurses' intentions to vaccinate against COVID-19. CONCLUSION: Policymakers could consider the factors identified in this study and why the students did not intend to receive the vaccine in planning a nationwide vaccination program. The colleges of nursing could also utilize the findings in developing educational programs that aim to improve VL and beliefs and attitudes towards COVID-19 vaccine.

Structural empowerment and work ethics influence on the work engagement of millennial nurses.

AIM: This study investigated the influence of structural empowerment and work ethics on work engagement among millennial Saudi clinical nurses. BACKGROUND: No extensive research has been conducted on the structural empowerment, work ethics and work engagement of millennial nurses, especially in Arab countries such as Saudi Arabia. DESIGN: This study utilized descriptive correlation quantitative design. METHOD: A total of 250 millennial Saudi nurses participated in the online survey containing the Multidimensional Work Ethic Profile-Short Form, Conditions for Work Effectiveness Questionnaire-II and Utrecht Work Engagement Scale. RESULTS: Descriptive analyses revealed the highest mean for 'delay of gratification' for work ethics (M = 4.38, SD = 0.66), 'access to opportunity' for structural empowerment (M = 4.28, SD = 0.78) and 'dedication' dimension for work engagement (M = 5.02, SD = 1.10). Regression analysis revealed that marital status, employment status, type of hospital, structural empowerment and work ethics influenced the work engagement of millennial Saudi clinical nurses. CONCLUSIONS: Personal and organisational factors, work ethics and structural empowerment contribute to the work engagement of millennial Saudi clinical nurses. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: This study discusses the importance of formulating strategies such as recognition, rewards and incentives for good nursing practice to foster the work engagement of millennial nurses.

Behind male Saudi nursing students' mental health facade: a husserlian phenomenological approach.

BACKGROUND: Every person has a persona (or mask) which is the façade that every person shows to the world. Thus, males use façade to reveal or conceal their true feelings and emotions. Also, the male uses mental health façade to protect themselves from prejudice and judgment. Thus, the study aimed to explore the experiences of male Saudi nursing students of mental health. METHOD: Husserl's descriptive phenomenology was used as a guiding lens to explore. Eleven participants were involved in the study by using the referral sampling technique. An unstructured interview was performed to gather information from the participants. The seven steps of the descriptive Colaizzi process were followed to investigate and examine the obtained data. The credibility, dependability, confirmability, transferability, and reflexivity criteria were observed to ensure the rigor of the study. RESULTS: The findings have two major themes. The first theme is the unadulterated smile that describes optimism in the family and mutual guarantee. The second theme is the orchestrated smile, which describes avoiding diverting burdens, social responsibility, protection of self, and reputation. CONCLUSIONS: The findings document that the mental health façade of male Saudi nursing students is associated with the expectation of family optimism, mutual guarantee, the expectation of society, and self-protection.

COVID-19 crisis: Influence of eHealth literacy on mental health promotion among Saudi nursing students.

OBJECTIVE: This study aims to determine the influence of eHealth literacy on mental health promotion among Saudi nursing students. METHOD: This cross-sectional study was conducted from 19 April to 21 May 2020. A total of 468 nursing students responded to the self-administered online survey. Two instruments, namely, the eHealth Literacy Scale and the Positive Mental Health Scale, were used. Statistical tools such as frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation were used for the descriptive analysis. Multiple regression analysis was employed to analyse the relationship between eHealth literacy, health promotion, and its predictors. RESULTS: The results showed that 30.3% of nursing students were dissatisfied with their general health. Students perceived high self-assessed eHealth literacy and positive mental health. Students in the 4th year had lower scores than those of students in the 2nd year. Nursing students perceived that the quarantine and public social distancing lowered their mental health scores. Finally, the eHealth literacy mean scores resulted in a 0.21-point increase in the positive mental health scores. CONCLUSION: The finding of the study shows that the eHealth literacy positively influnce the mental health status of Saudi Nursing students.

Hospital Preparedness, Resilience, and Psychological Burden Among Clinical Nurses in Addressing the COVID-19 Crisis in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia.

In the continuous effort to minimize the devastating effects of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) and to curb the spread of the disease, hospital preparedness and resilience play significant roles in the psychological well-being of clinical nurses given that their work demands immediate action to adapt and adjust to stressors. Thus, this study investigates the hospital preparedness, psychological burden, and resilience of clinical nurses in addressing COVID-19 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. A total of 281 clinical nurses participated in the survey from April 2020 to June 2020. Results show that clinical nurses perceived a high self-assessed COVID-19 hospital preparedness (49.65, SD = 2.30); high self-assessed nurses' resilience (4.03, SD = 0.36); and most have normal levels of depression, anxiety, and stress. The variables were predicted to be statistically significant (F 18,262 = 4.14, p = 0.001) and accounted for 16.8% of the variance in the nurses' perception of hospital preparedness (R 2 = 0.221; adjusted R 2 = 0.168). The regression analysis was statistically significant (F 30,250 = 6.71, p = 0.001) and accounted for 38% of the variance in nurses' resilience (R 2 = 0.446, Adjusted R 2 = 0.380). The predictors of depression, anxiety, and stress show that the overall relationship was statistically significant at (F 23,257 = 6.71, p < 0.001), (F 23,257 = 6.675, p 0.000), and (F 23,257 = 6.692, p 0.000) with 31.9% of the variance (R 2 = 0.375, Adjusted R 2 = 0.319), 31.8% of the variance (R 2 = 0.374, Adjusted R 2 = 0.318), and 31.9 % of the variance (R 2 = 0.375, Adjusted R 2 = 0.319), respectively. The findings of this study helps in improving the continuing education program, psychological support, and mental health program to ensure that the needs of clinical nurses are addressed during the outbreak of a disease.

Nursing Students' Perceptions, Knowledge, and Preventive Behaviors Toward COVID-19: A Multi-University Study.

Background: Knowledge, perception, and preventive behavior should be considered in the planning of effective educational interventions for the coronavirus disease of 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic and in increasing awareness about the health risks brought about by this disease. This research aimed to assess knowledge, perceptions, and preventive behavior toward the COVID-19 infection among student nurses. Methods: The study has quantitative, descriptive, and cross-sectional design. A convenience sample of 1,226 student nurses from seven universities in Saudi Arabia was surveyed from March 22 to April 4, 2020. A four-part online survey on demographic characteristics, perceptions, knowledge, and preventive behavior of Saudi student nurses was carried out. Results: Nearly all students were aware of the outbreak (99.2%), and most of them received information on COVID-19 primarily from social media (71.0%). Over three-fourths of the students were confident that the government (89.1%) and Ministry of Health (MOH) (86.5%) were doing a good job responding to the COVID-19 outbreak in the country. The overall average score in the knowledge questionnaire was 9.85 (SD = 1.62, range = 0-12), which is equivalent to 82.1%. The majority of the students always performed most of the preventive behavior identified in the survey, except "washing hands with soap and water for at least 20 s after blowing my nose, coughing, or sneezing" (39.2%) and "daily cleaning and disinfecting frequently touched surfaces" (41.6%). Being female, being in the fourth year, and gaining good perceived knowledge were associated with high actual COVID-19 knowledge. University, gender, age, academic level, and perceived COVID-19 knowledge were the associated factors. Conclusions: The findings of this study have provided baseline information on the current state of Saudi nursing students' perceptions, knowledge, and preventive behavior toward COVID-19 as the crisis is happening. The findings revealed some areas that should be focused on by nursing education, as well as health agencies, to ensure that the students have adequate knowledge and correct preventive behavior.