Nursing/Midwifery students’ perceptions of on-line education during COVID-19

Abstract

Aim: This study aimed to gain a better understanding of nursing/midwifery students’ perspectives of the changes to the delivery of undergraduate nursing/midwifery education due to the COVID-19 pandemic, assess whether students perceived a caring pedagogy in their online learning, and investigate whether students’ intention to continue their education and enter the nursing/midwifery workforce has changed due to the pandemic and/or changes in education delivery. Design: Mixed methods Methods: A multi-centre cross-sectional survey of Australian nursing and midwifery students were undertaken to explore students experience quantitatively and qualitatively of learning during COIVD-19 pandemic. Results: There are several key findings from this study that may be relevant for future delivery of undergraduate health education, students transitioning to practice, and health care workforce retention. The study found that although students were somewhat satisfied with online learning during COVID-19, students reported significant issues with knowledge/skill acquisition and barriers to the learning process. The students reported feeling less prepared for practice, and identified how clinical staff were unable to provide additional guidance and support due to increased workloads and stress. The textual responses of participants highlighted that connection/disconnection, empathy and engagement/disengagement had an impact on learning during COVID-19. Conclusion: This finding suggests the importance of connection alongside the decreasing face to face interactions (for example increased reliance on social media, increasing use of online learning). This study highlights several key findings for consideration in nursing and midwifery education, the profession, and the broader context of healthcare. Graduates entering the workforce post COVID-19 have had to overcome significant barriers to education and clinical placement learning which will have impacted their level of clinical skills, confidence, and ability to practice as new gradate nurses/midwives.