Allied Health Students' Coping Strategies in Their Related Learning Experiences in Skills Laboratory During The Virtual Classroom Setup

ALLIED HEALTH STUDENTS’ COPING STRATEGIES IN
THEIR RELATED LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN

SKILLS LABORATORY DURING THE
VIRTUAL CLASSROOM SETUP
PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL
Volume: 16
Issue 4
Pages: 414-419
Document ID: 2023PEMJ1468
DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.10498765
Manuscript Accepted: 12-11-2023
Psych Educ, 2024, 16(4):414-419, Document ID:2024 PEMJ1468, doi:10.5281/zenodo.10498765, ISSN 2822-4353
Research Article
Allied Health Students’ Coping Strategies in their Related Learning Experiences in Skills
Laboratory During the Virtual Classroom Setup
Ruby D. Vargas *, Christine May D. Cordova, Klaire Therese T. De Guzman, Timothy James H. Doctor,
Ma. Florabelle T. Poblete, Roxanne Danielle T. Tamayo, Jasmin Ann D. Vicente,
Evelyn A. Constantino, Gina C. Ladanan, Darwin D. Aznar
For affiliations and correspondence, see the last page.
Abstract
Pandemics were not a novelty to the world, and the occurrence of such had affected many people, and students were
among the vulnerable populations who were affected. For this reason, research on the coping strategies of students
was conducted. This paper was the result of an in-depth assessment of the coping strategies, specifically between the
problem- focused and emotion-focused coping strategies, of selected allied health students from Perpetual Help
College of Manila's four different Allied Health College Departments in their Related Learning Experiences (RLE)
class in the Skills Laboratory during virtual classroom setup. Specifically, 100 respondents were selected through a
random sampling technique, following the criteria that : 1.) the respondents must be willing to participate in the study,
2.) be currently enrolled in Perpetual Help College of Manila, and 3.) be a second, third, or fourth-year allied health
student. It was found that these two coping strategies were sometimes used in the virtual classroom setup for RLE
classes, and it was concluded that they have a significant relationship with the students’ Related Learning Experiences
(RLE) classes in their Skills Laboratory.
Keywords: allied health students, related learning experiences, skills laboratory, virtual classroom
Introduction
The COVID-19 is one of the greatest threats of our time, both to our health and the global economy, and it spares no one. In response
to the situation, and to the prevent the spread of the disease, andas well as to mitigate its effects on communities, President Rodrigo
Duterte signed Proclamation No. 922, Declaring a Public Health Emergency Throughout the Philippines on March 8, 2020 (De Jesus
2020). It was followed by the total lockdown as publicized during his evening address on Thursday, March 12, 2020, after declaring
the alert level for the coronavirus being raised to its maximum level of Code Red Sublevel 2, marking the first massive community
quarantine in the country in recent history (DOH, 2021).
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) released Memorandum No. 04, Series 2020 for "Guidelines on the Implementation of
Flexible Learning Modalities. " These guidelines tackled the transition of learning experience from the normal face-to-face classes to
flexible learning arrangements. The change made it hard for the students, especially those under the Allied Health Programs to be skill-
based to attain quality and effective learning experiences for their required skills needed and essential for their future profession.
The Perpetual Help College of Manila is a CHED (Commission on Higher Education) recognized institution that offers Allied Health
Courses to train future professionals in the medical field of this country. Respiratory Therapy, Occupational Therapy, Radiologic
Technology, Physical Therapy, and Nursing are among the courses offered by the PHCM that require RLE or Related Learning
Experience, in layman’s terms, On-the-Job training. Despite the Pandemic, classes at the PHCM continue through a virtual classroom
setup, to ensure continuity of learning.
The scope of this study only includes the problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies of the students but, it will not explore
the effects of the coping strategies to the students' experience during the virtual learning setup and will only focus on assessing what
coping strategies are used during the new learning setup.
The COVID-19 is the greatest threat of our time to our health and the global economy, and it spares no one. In response to the further
spread of the disease and to mitigate its effects on communities, President Rodrigo Duterte signed Proclamation No. 922 Declaring a
Public Health Emergency Throughout the Philippines on March 8, 2020 (De Jesus 2020). It was followed by the Total Lockdown
which was publicized in his evening address on Thursday, March 12, 2020, after declaring that the alert level for the coronavirus has
been raised to its maximum level of Code Red Sublevel 2, marking the first massive community quarantine in the country in recent
history (DOH, 2021).
The Commission on Higher Education (CHED) then released the Memorandum No. 04 Series 2020 for "Guidelines on the
Implementation of Flexible learning" With these guidelines, the transition of learning experience from the normal face-to-face classes
has completely changed to flexible learning, making it hard for the students especially those under the allied health programs which
are skill-based to attain quality and effective learning experience for their required skills needed and essential for their future profession.
The Perpetual Help College of Manila is one of the Higher Educational Institutions recognized by the Commission on Higher Education
Vargas et al. 414/419

Research Article
that is offering allied-health courses apt to train future professionals in the medical field of this country. Respiratory Therapy,
Occupational Therapy, Radiologic Technology, Physical Therapy, and Nursing are among the courses offered by the PHCM which
require RLE or Related Learning Experience, in layman’s terms, On-the-Job training. Despite the Pandemic, the PHCM continues to
thrive classes to be held at virtual classroom setup, to ensure continuity of learning.
The scope of this study only includes the problem-focused and emotion-focused coping strategies of the students but, it will not explore
the effects of the coping strategies to the students' experience during the virtual learning setup and will only focus on assessing what
coping strategies are used during the new learning setup.
Methodology
The study was done using a descriptive research design. It took place at the Perpetual Help College of Manila with the selected allied
health students as the chosen respondents, who were selected through a random sampling technique, specifically from the courses of
radiologic technology, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and respiratory therapy. It sought to answer the following research
questions:
1. What is the demographic profile of the respondents in terms of name, course, and year level?
2. What are the problems encountered during the RLE class in the skills laboratory in the virtual classroom setup?
3. What are the coping strategies of the Allied-Health students during the virtual classroom setup in terms of the
following?
3.1. Problem-Focused Coping Strategies
3.2. Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies.
The researchers gathered the data through an online questionnaire made from Google forms,which were distributed to the students
using an online messenger application. The total respondents were 100 students from the different year levels, starting from the 2nd
year to the 4th year of the Allied Health departments mentioned. Data was then tallied and tabulated using the statistical treatments:
frequency count and percentage, and weighted mean.
Results and Discussion
This section represents the interpretation and analysis of the gathered data; therefore this is thecore of the paper. There are eight tables
that present the responses of the allied health students from the different departments of the Perpetual Help College of Manila. There
were two problems that were identified with their coping strategies, it is neither of the two, problem-focused or emotion-focused.
Table number one, is about the frequency distribution of the respondents of the four different allied health department. Those four are,
Bachelor of Science in Physical Therapy, Bachelor of Science in Occupational Therapy, Bachelor of Science in Radiologic Technology,
and Bachelor of Science in Respiratory Therapy. This table shows the percentage of the respondents from each department.
Table number two, is about the frequency distribution of year level of the respondents.There are three levels in total, those are level
two, three, and four. Out of 100 respondents, 42 respondents came from level four, 36 from level 3, and the 23 respondents are from
level two. This signifies that there are different problems being encountered in each level.

Research Article
Table number three, is about the problems encountered during Related Learning Experience in a skills laboratory in a virtual classroom
setup. There are a total of seven problems that are encountered during the related learning experience in a virtual classroom setup.
From the seven problems, the most encountered problem by the students was poor internet connection and the least was lack of gadgets.
Table number four, is about the problem- focused coping strategy. There was a total of 10 different coping strategies used by the
students to cope with their problems encountered during RLE. The most coping strategy that the respondents used was to try to look at
the bright side of things, and the least was getting enough sleep so that they can concentrate during virtual class. This shows that most
of the respondents aimed to solve their problem.

Research Article
Table number five, is about the emotion- focused coping strategy. There were a total of 10 emotion-focused coping strategies. In all of
the coping strategies, only question no. 9 received a response "seldom". Among the coping strategies, most of the students show that
sometimes they try to be mature in their decisions based on personal learning experiences and the least was engaging oneself with vices
such as drinking or smoking to stabilize one's emotions. This shows that the respondents do not depend on their emotions to cope with
their problems. But despite that they engaged with vices, they still take care of their physical health.
Conclusion
The outcome of this study shows the assessment of the coping strategies among selected allied health students at Perpetual Help College
of Manila. It is found that respondents have mixed insights into the coping strategies provided, which are the Problem-Focused Coping
Strategy and the Emotion-Focused Coping Strategy, during their related learning experience (RLE) classes in the skills laboratory in a
virtual classroom setup. Even though students differ in using the coping strategies, the researchers concluded, based on the data
gathered, that the Problem-Focused Coping Strategies and Emotion-Focused Coping Strategies among selected allied health students
still have a significant relationship towards their Related Learning Experiences during the virtual classroom setup, proving that these
two coping strategies are used in these situations.
The study also provides data on the problems identified during the related learning experience (RLE) classes in the skills laboratory in
the virtual classroom setup, with the majority of students identifying at least three problems out of the seven given. The data that was
collected and analyzed showed that problem-focused coping strategies are more used by the students in their related learning
experiences (RLE) in skills laboratory in a virtual classroom setup than the emotion-focused ones, which means that students make
plans to resolve any unfortunate circumstances encountered during their virtual classes and they aim to eliminate the source of these
circumstances rather than rely on their emotions.
The results of the survey must be reviewed with awareness because of the low response rate and possible response bias. Furthermore,
a few of the questions would have been interpreted in different ways by the selected allied health students. Despite these limitations,
the researchers believe that the data gathered in this study offers more knowledge for future researchers, students, teachers, parents,
and school administration on the coping strategies of allied health students in the given domains and for the future development of this

Research Article
type of learning.
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Affiliations and Corresponding Information
Ruby D. Vargas, Ph.D
Perpetual Help College, Manila College of Nursing – Philippines
Christine May D. Cordova, RN
Klaire Therese T. De Guzman, RN
Timothy James H. Doctor, RN
Ma. Florabelle T. Poblete, RN
Roxanne Danielle T. Tamayo, RN
Jasmin Ann D. Vicente, RN
Evelyn A. Constantino, MAN, RN
Gina C. Ladanan, MAN, RN
Darwin D. Aznar, MAN, RN

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ALLIED HEALTH STUDENTS’ COPING STRATEGIES IN

THEIR RELATED LEARNING EXPERIENCES IN

PSYCHOLOGY AND EDUCATION: A MULTIDISCIPLINARY JOURNAL

Vargas et al. 414/419

Vargas et al. 415/419

Vargas et al. 416/419

Vargas et al. 417/419

Vargas et al. 418/419

Analysis. Higher Education Pedagogies. London – 22 J

Vargas et al. 419/419

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