Pandemic Perceptions of Future Health Professionals: An Examination of Turkish Nursing Students’ Metaphorical Perceptions and Cognitive Structures of Monkeypox

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to explore the metaphorical perceptions and cognitive structures of nursing students regarding Monkeypox. METHODS: A qualitative study based on metaphor analysis was conducted with 40 nursing students enrolled at a public university in northern Türkiye. Data were collected between December 2024 and January 2025 using a Sociodemographic Information Form and the Monkeypox Data Collection Form, which incorporated two techniques: a metaphor elicitation technique using the prompt "Monkeypox is like… because…" and a drawing-writing technique. Content analysis and document analysis were employed to analyze the data. Inter-rater reliability was assessed using Miles and Huberman's formula (88%) and Cohen's kappa coefficient (0.88). The study was designed and reported in accordance with the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research (COREQ) checklist. RESULTS: A total of 12 metaphors were identified through the writing technique and grouped under two categories: characteristics of Monkeypox (9 metaphors; e.g., wart, COVID-19, and chickenpox) and effects of Monkeypox (3 metaphors; e.g., lockdown, negative mental health impact). Three metaphors were identified through the drawing technique and categorized under considerations for appearance (bubbles, redness, and monkey). TECHNIQUE: With the writing technique, they were analyzed under two categories: features and effects. CONCLUSION: Nursing students perceived Monkeypox as a threatening and destructive phenomenon, reflecting negative cognitive schemas shaped by limited knowledge and uncertainty. These findings highlight the need for nursing education programs that address both cognitive and psychosocial dimensions of emerging infectious disease preparedness.