Exploring baccalaureate degree nursing students' first semester experiences in post-pandemic classrooms: An...

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Qualitative Research
• Pandemic Impact on Higher Education

Background:

• COVID-19 pandemic restrictions presented unique challenges for nursing students.
• Limited understanding exists regarding the impact of pandemic restrictions on nursing students educated virtually during early pre-licensure years.

Purpose of the Study:

• To explore the experiences of traditional junior-level baccalaureate nursing students in post-COVID face-to-face classrooms.
• Investigate student experiences during their first semester in nursing major courses after a period of virtual learning.

Main Methods:

• Exploratory descriptive qualitative design.
• Semi-structured qualitative survey with open-ended questions.
• Thematic analysis of data from seventeen junior-level nursing students at two southeastern US universities.

Main Results:

• Identified facilitators of success: learning style, motivation, and cohort influences.
• Identified barriers to success: pedagogy, classroom environments, and information overload.
• Student experiences varied, highlighting the need for adaptive teaching strategies.

Conclusions:

• The impact of pandemic restrictions on nursing students may diminish over time.
• Further research is needed to align student pedagogical needs with faculty instructional methods in post-COVID classrooms.
• Nursing classrooms should be reimagined to prepare students for technologically advanced healthcare settings.