Aim This multisite study describes the lived experience of registered nurses (RNs) caring for coronavirus (COVID‐19) patients during the pandemic in rural America. Design A qualitative phenomenological design was used. Methods From January to June 2021, using the purposeful sampling method, 19 frontline nurses were interviewed regarding their experience caring for seriously ill COVID‐19 patients in three Upper Midwest tertiary care hospitals. Three doctoral prepared nurses transcribed and analyzed verbatim interviews with data interpreted separately and conjointly. Approved qualitative methods specific to transcendental phenomenology were used. Results This phenomenological study identified four themes describing the lived experience: (1) feeling of being overwhelmed, (2) feeling of role frustration related to chaos in the care environment, (3) feeling of abandonment by leaders, families, and communities, and (4) progressing from perseverance to resilience. Implications for Practice Significant implications include ensuring frontline RNs are in communication with leaders, and are involved in tactical planning. Leaders can provide a stabilizing presence, build resilience, confidence, and security. Recommendations for additional research are provided. Conclusion Nurses in intensive care and COVID‐19 designated medical units had experiences similar to high population United States and international cities. Their shared experience included high volumes of critically ill patients in hospitals frenzied by rapid change, uncertainty, and capacity strain. Differences in the experience of rural nurses included close social connection to patients, families, and community members. This rural connectedness had both positive and negative effects.

As a result of the COVID‐19 pandemic, newly graduating nurses have entered into rapidly changing clinical environments, experiencing healthcare in a manner for which they were not fully prepared. The purpose of this study is to describe the lived experience of these newly graduated registered nurses (RNs) who transitioned to practice during the COVID‐19 pandemic, and to gain understanding of how to better prepare future graduates for similar situations. A multisite qualitative phenomenological design was used in this study of 12 frontline nurses that graduated in the spring of 2020 and transitioned into their new role as RNs. A trained research team conducted semistructured interviews and completed a thematic analysis of the data. The results were six themes that emerged from the study participants' interviews: (1) fear, (2) emotional conflict, (3) self‐doubt, (4) alone, (5) communication barriers, and (6) finding the positive.

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Interprofessional education allows students to collaborate with students and professionals of multiple disciplines. An Interdisciplinary Palliative Care (IPC) Seminar, held in the Midwest, involves students from disciplines of medicine, nursing, pharmacy, social work, and chaplaincy. The curriculum of the seminar incorporates asynchronous and synchronous didactic presentations, experiential learning through group exercises and discussion, along with home visits by students in interdisciplinary dyads. The purpose of this study was to determine whether students’ participation in a 3-week IPC seminar would positively influence their socialization and value of interprofessional collaboration with the ultimate goal of developing skilled professionals who engage in interprofessional practice in hospice and palliative care settings. This descriptive study invited participants to take a pre- and postseminar online survey using the Interprofessional Socialization and Valuing Scale-21 (ISVS-21) to assess shifts in students’ perceptions of interprofessional socialization and the value of collaborative health-care practice. In their pre-and postseminar scores, 71 participants reported they more strongly agreed with all items on the ISVS-21 after completing the seminar. The results from this study suggest the IPC Seminar is an effective educational model for advancing the value of interprofessional socialization and collaborative practice in hospice and palliative health-care.

Service-learning projects provide a valuable service to the community and a valuable clinical experience for nursing students. There are several national studies and initiatives that highlight the importance of partnerships in care and service delivery. This article describes how these were considered and incorporated into the development of a community partnership by multiple service providers to offer influenza immunizations in neighborhood stores. This article is a discussion of a multidisciplinary, community-wide influenza immunization clinic.

Nurses play an important role in pandemic and disaster response, often at a personal cost to their overall well-being. Interviews with 19 frontline COVID-19 nurses helped illuminate priority focus areas involving nurses in the planning process, providing clear communication and offering mental health services. These recommendations align with and reinforce conclusions and recommendations from The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report.Nurses play an important role in disaster and pandemic response, often at a personal cost. Interviews of frontline nurses demonstrated their willingness to help in the recent pandemic came with an expense to their own well-being. 1 Interviews were conducted with 19 nurses working in intensive care and COVID-19designated medical units of 3 tertiary hospitals in an Upper Midwest healthcare system to gain a better understanding of their experience in caring for COVID-19 patients and balancing work and home life. These nurses were overwhelmed by the high volume of critically ill patients, frustrated by the care environment chaos and felt abandoned at work as well as by their families and communities. 1 This group provided future pandemic advice for leadership and educators, which could be applied to other catastrophic events. Even though a small group was interviewed, their recommendations are congruent with The Future of Nursing 2020-2030 Report, which provides an important foundation addressing the current challenges faced by nurses during the pandemic. 1,2

The University of South Dakota (USD) Department of Nursing and the Sioux Falls, South Dakota, Head Start program have a working relationship that provides educational opportunities for students from USD and Head Start. Head Start provides learning opportunities for a diverse population in South Dakota. This article provides an overview of Head Start. The majority of the article describes the teaching project process and evaluates the benefits of this opportunity as reported by the community and nursing students. The need for graduate nurses well versed in patient education and in providing patient education at the patient’s level of understanding is well documented. This community health clinical opportunity enhances this important skill of nurses.

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