Nursing Student and Faculty Narratives During COVID-19 Pandemic: Challenges and Recommendations From a Canadian Perspective

Introduction: Worldwide, COVID-19 affected nursing students’ and faculty's mental and physical health. The final clinical placement for fourth-year nursing students during the third wave of COVID-19 in Toronto, Canada, included direct patient care without vaccination eligibility. Students’ experiences during the pandemic and faculty exposure to teaching and supporting them provide unique reflective opportunities.

Objective: To examine the lived experiences of nursing students and faculty during the third wave of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods: The study used a qualitative phenomenological design with thematic analysis. A voluntary response sample of 80 participants shared their narratives of working and teaching during January to May 2021. An optional interview guide offered open-ended questions requiring reflection. The study was conducted in a nursing school in Toronto, Canada during fourth-year baccalaureate students final clinical placement settings.

Results: A total of 77 fourth-year baccalaureate nursing students and three faculty members participated. Thematic analysis of nursing student narratives identified four main themes: (i) fear and anxiety of COVID-19 during clinical practice; (ii) impact on students’ learning environments; (iii) intrinsic and extrinsic factors that enabled students to persevere; and (iv) how to deal with future pandemics. Thematic analysis of faculty narratives identified three main themes: (i) the importance of preparatory work; (ii) psychological and physical manifestations of supporting students; and (iii) the resilience of students and faculty.

Conclusion: Future disease outbreaks and other large-scale health events will require nurse educators to understand and plan strategies for both themselves and students practicing in high-risk clinical settings. Nursing schools should rethink all fourth-year students’ experiences, perceptions, and feelings to minimize their susceptibility to physical and psychological distress.