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Background The COVID-19 pandemic posed and continues to pose challenges for health care systems globally, particularly to Intensive Care Units (ICU). At the forefront of the ICU are highly trained nurses with a professional obligation to care for patients with COVID-19 despite the potential to become infected. The aim of this study was to explore ICU nurses’ willingness to care during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A prospective cross-sectional study to explore ICU nurses’ willingness to provide care during the COVID-19 pandemic was undertaken between 25 March to 3 April 2020 at a large principal and referral teaching hospital in Sydney, NSW Australia. Results A total of 83 ICU nurses completed the survey. Approximately 60% reported receiving sufficient information from managers regarding COVID-19 and about caring for a patient with COVID-19. Ninety percent of nurses were concerned about spreading COVID-19 to their family. Sixty one percent of the nurses indicated that they were willing to care for patients with COVID-19. Receiving timely communication from managers was the only predictor of willingness to care among ICU nurses. Conclusions Effective communication is a vital component during a public health emergency in order to promote nurses’ willingness to care for patients in the ICU.

Aims and Objectives To compare knowledge, anxiety, academic concerns and preventative behaviours between undergraduate nursing students in Australia and India during the COVID‐19 pandemic. Background Based on the World Health Organization's direction for containment of the novel coronavirus (COVID‐19), countries implemented varying levels of restrictions including closure of university campuses and providing on line undergraduate education. Methods Students in NSW, Australia and Kerala, India completed an online survey assessing their (a) knowledge and source of information about COVID‐19; (b) anxiety; and coping strategies; (c) academic concerns; and (d) preventative behaviours. Descriptive and inferential statistics were used to summarise the data. Results Data from 99 Australian and 113 Indian undergraduate nurses were analysed. Greater number of Indian students indicated having sufficient knowledge of COVID‐19 (OR 0.22; 95% CI 0.08, 0.63), getting information about COVID‐19 from social media (OR 0.03; 95% CI 0.01, 0.07) and being concerned about ‘attending clinical placement’ (MD‐1.08; 95% CI −1.94, −0.23). Australian students reported significantly higher levels of anxiety (MD 1.99 95% CI 1.21, 2.78), difficulty sleeping (OR 18.00; 95% CI 6.76, 47.96), concentrating (OR 33.22; 95% CI 13.85, 79.67) and eating (OR 14.05; 95% CI 3.19, 61.84). Greater number of Australian students indicated that they would go to the University if they needed to meet with other students (OR 9.21; 95% CI 3.08, 27.55), had to access the library (OR 7.20; 95% CI 3.26, 15.90) or had a group assignment (OR 2.93; 95% CI 1.26, 6.77). Conclusions Wide variations were present in knowledge, anxiety, academic concerns and preventative behaviours among undergraduate nursing students in two countries. Relevance to clinical practice Undergraduate students may benefit from additional support from the University and staff in the clinical setting with online learning and resources in order to adjust to the ‘new normal’ and enable them to achieve academic success.