The experiences of student nurses in a pandemic: A qualitative study

Abstract

Aim/objective To record and learn from the experiences of students working on clinical placement in a pandemic. Background In March of 2020, final and second year student nurses in England were given the option to join the Covid-19 pandemic work-force, paid as high-level health care assistants. Methods/design Using qualitative methods and rapid analysis techniques, this study gathered the unique experiences of 16 final year students, from all fields of nursing at a University in the East of England, who chose to complete their final extended placement in a diverse range of clinical placements at the height of the first wave of the pandemic. Data was collected between July and September 2020. Results Five key themes were identified across our data: rationale for undertaking the extended placement, role tensions, caring for patients and their families, the impact on teaching and learning, and personal health and wellbeing. Conclusions While our participants reported largely positive experiences including a perceived heightened preparedness for qualification, their experiences provide important insights for nurse educators for the education and support of future students going into similar situations, in particular relating to welfare and support, preparation for placement, resilience, e-learning and learning on the front line.

Using the theory of planned behaviour to explain junior nurses' and final‐year student nurses' intention to care for COVID‐19 patients in China: A multisite cross‐sectional study

“…Final‐year nursing students represent nursing workforce of the immediate future, and therefore, their professional commitment is also crucial. In some countries such as England (Godbold et al, 2021 ) and Spain (Gómez‐Ibáñez et al, 2020 ), final‐year nursing students were mobilized to COVID‐19 response, assisting with frontline work on a voluntary basis. Although this has not occurred in China, such possibility should not be excluded in the future given the unpredictable pandemic trajectory.…”

Nursing Students’ Clinical Practice Experience during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

“…This is due to the limited practice time in the hospital. Some hospitals regulate practice hours and reduce student numbers for the sake of student and patient safety [5], [17], [18]. Nursing schools are also pulling students from hospitals for fear of getting infected [19].…”

Clinical learning during the pandemic: Experiences of LPN-BN undergraduate nursing students

“…COVID-19 has profoundly impacted and will continue to impact nursing students' clinical learning experiences ( Dewart et al, 2020 ; Godbold et al, 2021 ; Ulenaers et al, 2021 ). Nurse educators must listen to and acknowledge the voices of students, so our practice mirrors the current and emerging educational concerns of nursing students in all clinical practice areas.…”

“…However, the participants in our study recognized that, due to the pandemic, online modalities such as virtual simulation played a role, but should not be used to replace in person clinical as this was essential to solidifying nursing competence. Students adapted to online clinical learning out of necessity ( Godbold et al, 2021 ) and a strong desire to progress through the BN program and graduate but did not recommend online clinicals for the future.…”

“…We need to document and reflect upon the changes made to clinical courses during the COVID-19 pandemic so nursing educators can learn from the changes, variations, and innovations that occurred. The pandemic has resulted in many studies aimed at understanding student experiences as the clinical nursing education climate shifted ( Agu et al, 2021 ; Aslan & Pekince, 2021 ; Godbold et al, 2021 ; Keener et al, 2021 ; Kerbage et al, 2021 ; Rodríguez-Almagro et al, 2021 ; Ulenaers et al, 2021 ). This study adds to a growing body of knowledge centred on pandemic experiences; however, this research provides a necessary perspective from a unique student population of LPN-BN learners who were also engaging in online learning prior to the pandemic.…”