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

Covid-19 pandemic restrictions created unique challenges for nursing students. Little is known about how pandemic restrictions affected nursing students who spent their early years of pre-licensure education in virtual environments.

Explore traditional junior-level baccalaureate degree nursing students' experiences in post-Covid face-to-face classrooms during their first semester in nursing major courses.

This study used an exploratory descriptive qualitative design. Data were collected using an open-ended, semi structured qualitative survey to investigate the experiences of seventeen junior level baccalaureate degree nursing students in post Covid face-to-face classrooms during their first semester in nursing major courses at two 4-year universities in the southeastern United States. Thematic analysis was used to analyze data.

Themes included facilitators and barriers to success. Subthemes for facilitators of success included learning style, motivation, and cohort influences. Subthemes for barriers to success included pedagogy, classroom environments, and information overload.

The effect of pandemic restrictions may resolve with time. Continued exploration is warranted to explore how students' pedagogical needs align with faculty's instructional methods in post Covid classrooms. Findings support reimagining nursing classrooms to better prepare students for technologically advanced healthcare environments.