Pandemic Crisis: Simulation Contingency Plans

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic has disrupted the typical delivery of nursing education. Multifactorial issues related to the pandemic and clinical placements have forced nurse educators to employ innovative strategies for content delivery.MethodsThis article is an accounting of a simulation team response to the move to all remote or virtual simulated learning experiences over a two-week period and lessons learned on how to move forward with simulated learning contingency plans.ResultsLearning outcomes were achieved via the delivery of online commercial and faculty made experiences to simulate clinical practice. Simple and easy to use guides assisted both students and faculty for a positive experience.ConclusionCreating a detailed formal contingency plan for emergencies is essential for nursing programs. Additionally, the pandemic highlighted the importance of continuing faculty development and education in online, virtual, and simulation pedagogy. Finally, it is recommended that schools of nursing implement formal policies for replacement of clinical hours with simulation.     

Undergraduate student nurses’ views of online learning

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic and resultant public health restrictions saw the mass movement of higher education to online, remote delivery. There was wide variation in how this was implemented, and for many undergraduate programs, this was the first time teaching was conducted remotely. The aim of this study was to explore undergraduate student nurses’ views of online learning.MethodsReflexive thematic analysis was used to analyse focus group data from undergraduate nursing students.FindingsTwo central themes described student preferences for learning environments and challenges associated with asynchronous learning. Participants reported a preference for face-to-face learning. Suggestions for optimising remote learning include an emphasis on synchronous live sessions rather than asynchronous learning, incentivised learning, and a focus on ongoing formative informal assessment to maintain engagement. Specific challenges related to poor retention, difficulty remaining motivated, and maintaining focus on content and learning outcomes.ConclusionAs more opportunities arise to engage with online pedagogies for undergraduate nursing students, educators need to ensure their approaches are evidence-based and learner-centric.     

Feelings on remote education in the era of coronavirus pandemic,a pilot study

The 2020 COVID-19 pandemic required schools of nursing to change content delivery to a remote platform. For those who had little or no previous online educational experiences, this change created an array of feelings and emotions in both students and faculty.MethodsA mixed method exploratory study was used to explore the feelings and emotions of students and faculty associated with the rapid adjustment to changes in delivery of content and its impact on their emotional well-being.ResultsFeelings of frustration, stress, and anxiety at the pandemic in general, and toward remote learning in particular were found. The inability to see others in person was also a source of stress.DiscussionMajor themes such as increased workload and the displeasure with having didactic content delivery online were major themes. Students prefer mandatory synchronous didactic delivery and were concerned that online clinical experiences may not be as effective as in-person clinical experiences.     

Peer learning a pedagogical approach to enhance online learning: A qualitative exploration

BackgroundFlexible online programs are becoming increasingly popular method of education for students, allowing them to complete programs in their own time and cater for lifestyle differences. A mixture of delivery modes is one way which allows for enhanced learning. Peer learning is another method of learning which is shown to foster collaboration and prepare healthcare students for their future careers. This paper reports on a project to combine peer and online learning to teach pharmacology to nursing students.ObjectivesTo explore undergraduate nursing student opinions of working in peer groups for online learning sessions in a pharmacology course.DesignA qualitative study utilising a self-reported questionnaire.SettingA rural campus of an Australian university.ParticipantsSecond year nursing students enrolled in a Bachelor of Nursing Program.MethodsA hard copy questionnaire was distributed to all students who attended the final semester lecture for the course. Content analysis of open-ended survey questions was used to identify themes in the written data.ResultsOf the 61 students enrolled in the nursing subject, 35 students chose to complete the survey (57%). Students reported a mixed view of the benefits and disadvantages of peer online learning. Sixty 6% (66%) of students liked peer online learning, whilst 29% disliked it and 6% were undecided. Convenience and ease of completion were reported as the most common reason to like peer online learning, whilst Information Technology issues, communication and non-preferred learning method were reasons for not liking peer online learning.ConclusionPeer online learning groups’ acted as one further method to facilitate student learning experiences. Blending peer online learning with traditional face-to-face learning increases the variety of learning methods available to students to enhance their overall learning experience.     

Effective online learning strategies for leadership and policy undergraduate courses for nursing students: a rapid review

ObjectivesDue to the importance of developing leadership competencies during nursing education, it is critical to make evidence-based decisions regarding the transformation from face-to-face to online delivery of leadership and policy courses for nursing students in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. This rapid review aims to identify effective learning strategies for creating online leadership and policy courses for undergraduate nursing students.Data sources and review methodsA rapid review methodology was used. Searches in CINAHL and ERIC yielded 4112 records. After screening, seven articles were included. The Criteria for Describing and Evaluating Training Interventions in Healthcare Professions (CRe-DEPTH) tool was used for quality appraisal and data extraction. A narrative synthesis approach was used to summarize the data.ResultsThe learning activities were heterogeneous in terms of content and format. Articles described the use of discussion forums, case studies, virtual clinical learning experiences, microblogging, and video clips. The methods of evaluation for these learning activities also varied greatly.ConclusionThe findings will act as a steppingstone to help develop an online undergraduate leadership and policy nursing course. This review also demonstrated the need for rigorous evaluation of learning activities. The use of a tool such as the CRe-DEPTH can help instructors plan and report on their learning interventions or courses.     

Evaluation of a multischool collaborative COVID-19 vaccination project

To describe experiences of student nurses and faculty who participated in COVID-19 vaccine delivery through a multischool collaboration. Cross-sectional survey. Student nurses and faculty members from five university schools and colleges of nursing who participated in one or more COVID-19 vaccination or education events in 2021. Surveys were designed for students and faculty to document process and outcome experiences associated with project participation. Surveys were administered through an online survey platform. Overall, 648 students and 68 faculty members participated in the project. The evaluation survey was completed by 115 students (18%) and 58 faculty members (85%). Students valued increasing their clinical skills and reported the experience influenced their perspectives on nursing, fueling their passion and informing future career choices. Students reported that it was personally important to contribute to the vaccination effort. Few students reported challenges in participating in the project. Faculty reported positive experiences including gaining knowledge about public health and their communities, fueling their passion for nursing education, feeling a deeper connection with students, and experiencing personal satisfaction from contributing to the pandemic response. This project resulted in meaningful student learning opportunities, enhanced capacity for the public health emergency response, and strengthened partnerships among nursing programs and between academia and public health community partners.     

Transitioning from direct care to virtual clinical experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic

When the COVID-19 pandemic forced university campuses and healthcare agencies to temporarily suspend both undergraduate and graduate direct care educational experiences, nursing programs had to formulate alternative plans to facilitate clinical learning. Texas Woman's University used this opportunity to assemble a faculty group tasked with creating a set of college-wide guidelines for virtual simulation use as a substitution for traditional face-to-face clinical. The process included completing a needs assessment of both undergraduate and graduate level programs across three campuses and identifying regulatory requirements and limitations for clinical experiences. The task force utilized the information gathered to develop evidence-based recommendations for simulation hour equivalence ratios and compiled a list of virtual activities and products faculty could use to complete clinical experiences. Undergraduate and graduate student surveys were conducted to determine the effectiveness of the transition to virtual clinical experiences. Overall, the majority of survey results were positive regarding virtual simulation experiences providing students with valuable opportunities to enhance their learning. Negative comments regarding the impact of COVID-19 on a personal level included issues involving internet access and web conferencing logistics, lack of motivation to study, family difficulties, and faculty inexperience teaching in an online environment. Undergraduate pre-licensure students were provided with opportunities to successfully complete all remaining required clinical hours virtually, while graduate students were allowed to complete non-direct care hours as applicable using virtual clinical experiences.     

Perceived self-efficacy among nursing students during a pandemic: A pilot study

In March 2020, prelicensure nursing programs quickly transitioned from traditional, face-toface instruction to remote online learning for classroom, lab, and clinical requirements due to the COVID-19 pandemic. As a result, many nursing students ready to graduate or recently graduated missed their last opportunity to prepare for the national registered nurse licensing exam, NCLEX-RN, in a familiar academic setting. In addition, direct clinical experiences with assigned clients were lost due to COVID-19 safety concerns for students, faculty, and clients. This created a challenge for nurse educators to provide instructional experiences that would engage students in ways to promote learning and result in acceptable NCLEX-RN pass rates. This study describes associate degree nursing students' perceptions of self- efficacy regarding the ability to pass NCLEX-RN and perform clinical skills after being transitioned from traditional, face-toface instruction to remote online learning during the pandemic.     

Undergraduate nursing students’ perceptions on nursing education during the 2020 COVID-19 pandemic: A national sample

BackgroundIn 2020, nursing educational programs were abruptly interrupted and largely moved online due to the COVID-19 pandemic.PurposeTo explore nursing students’ perspectives about the effects of the pandemic on their education and intention to join the nursing workforce.MethodsUndergraduate nursing students from 5 universities across 5 United States regions were invited to participate in an online survey to elicit both quantitative and qualitative data.FindingsThe final sample included quantitative data on 772 students and qualitative data on 540 students. Largely (65.1%), students reported that the pandemic strengthened their desire to become a nurse; only 11% had considered withdrawing from school. Qualitatively, students described the effect of the pandemic on their psychosocial wellbeing, adjustment to online learning, and challenges to clinical experiences.ConclusionFindings highlighted the need to develop emergency education preparedness plans that address student wellbeing and novel collaborative partnerships between schools and clinical partners.     

An international exploration of blended learning use in pre-registration nursing and midwifery education

AimTo explore international experiences of using blended learning in preparing nursing and midwifery students for initial professional registration to inform future education policy.BackgroundThe global nursing and midwifery skills shortage and need for an expanded nursing workforce that is fit for contemporary care delivery is widely acknowledged. The immense pressure the profession was already under because of austerity, staff shortages and increasingly complex healthcare needs has been worsened by the Covid-19 pandemic. The UK is extending and evaluating the use of blended learning programmes for pre-registration nursing and midwifery students to help address these issues. This study sought to explore relevant nursing and midwifery experiences from outside the UK to help inform future health professional education policy here and elsewhere.DesignCross-sectional, sequential, mixed methods studyParticipants/settingsNursing/nurse education leaders from across International Council of Nurses regionsMethodsExploratory online survey (n = 32) and three follow-up case studies (March-May 2021). Participants’ knowledge and experiences of blended learning were examined along with any perceived benefits for workforce development and successful strategies for addressing the challenges blended learning presents in this context. Case studies were developed inductively from survey responses and follow up telephone calls to provide more detailed information about reported successes.ResultsParticipants reported flexibility, cost effectiveness, increased student/tutor and student/student communication and interaction as benefits of blended learning. Challenges included the design and use of interactive learning resources, appropriate preparation and support for staff and students, the potential of blended learning to exacerbate otherwise hidden disadvantage and the need for multi-stakeholder cost/benefit evaluation.ConclusionsBlended learning is used globally in the pre-registration education of nurses, midwives and other healthcare professionals. These results broadly mirror the literature regarding the benefits blended learning offers healthcare students, staff and organisations and the strategies employed to mitigate risk. As the deployment of blended learning nursing and midwifery programmes expands, further work is needed to address gaps in the current evidence base regarding the practice and impact of this approach. These concern adequate preparation and support of students and staff, ensuring access to appropriate equipment and connectivity, exploration of student perceptions that online learning is of lesser value and comprehensive multi-stakeholder, exploratory evaluation to uncover any hidden factors and impact.Tweetable abstractBlended learning plays an effective part in the education of pre-registration nursing and midwifery students to help tackle global workforce shortages, but further work is needed to address gaps in the current evidence base regarding the practice and impact of this approach.     

COVID-19 vaccination readiness among nurse faculty and student nurses

BackgroundUnprecedented efforts are underway to develop COVID-19 vaccines, widely seen as critical to controlling the pandemic. Academic nursing leaders must be proactive in assuring widespread faculty and student vaccination uptake.PurposeThe purpose of this study was to describe nursing faculty and student nurse factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine readiness.MethodsCross-sectional online survey of nursing faculty and student nurses at a university affiliated with an academic medical center was conducted.FindingsMost full-time faculty (60%) intended to receive the vaccine; but only 45% of adjunct faculty and students reported intending to get vaccinated. The major reasons for not getting vaccinated were vaccine safety and side effects. Collectively, participants reported a low level of knowledge related to vaccine development.DiscussionAs the most trusted profession, nurses will play a decisive role in counseling patients about COVID-19 risks and benefits. Findings suggest that academic nursing leaders need to consider faculty and student vaccine concerns and provide vaccine development education.     

Implementing dedicated nursing clinical education unit: Nursing students' and preceptors' perspectives

BackgroundThe Dedicated Education Unit is a clinical learning model designated to deliver more targeted learning opportunities and enhance student nurses learning capacity. It provides students with more opportunities to develop their skills, experience different learning events, consolidate their knowledge, and build their professional nursing identity.MethodsThe study followed a convergent parallel mixed-method design to investigate the nursing students and the nursing preceptors' perceptions of the Dedicated Education Unit model at Mafraq hospital. Quantitative and qualitative data were collected from a sample of sixty-seven nursing students and 20 nursing preceptors from March to May 2019.ResultsThe overall results of the study were positive. Nursing preceptors were confident to communicate and constructively interact, motivate, and facilitate students' learning. However, they requested better support and more free time to supervise and answer students' questions. Nursing students reported positive learning at the dedicated units. However, they requested more support from nursing preceptors.ConclusionImplementing a Dedicated Education Unit model supported the nursing preceptors' role and enhanced nursing students' learning opportunities and hands-on experiences. Achieving a positive effect of the dedicated nursing clinical education unit requires constant collaboration between healthcare facilities and nursing education programs to maximize nursing students learning.