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Background Final-year nursing students in Spain augmented the health care workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Purpose To understand the lived experience of nursing students who joined the health care workforce during the first wave of the COVID-19 outbreak (March–May 2020). Method Qualitative content analysis of the reflective journals of 40 nursing students in Spain. Findings. The analysis identified four main themes: 1) Willingness to help; 2) Safety and protective measures: Impact and challenges; 3) Overwhelming experience: Becoming aware of the magnitude of the epidemic; and 4) Learning and growth. Discussion The wish to help, the sense of moral duty, and the opportunity to learn buffered the impact of the students' lived experience. Despite the challenges they faced, they saw their experiences as a source of personal and professional growth, and they felt reaffirmed in their choice of career. Promoting opportunities for reflection and implementing adequate support and training strategies is crucial for building a nursing workforce that is capable of responding to future health crises.

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