Letters from the pandemic: Nursing student narratives of change, challenges and thriving at the outset of COVID‐19

Abstract

Aim The aim of this study is to explore the experience of third year baccalaureate nursing students during the outbreak of the COVID‐19 pandemic. Design Research design is a narrative analysis of archived letters written by nursing students in Spring 2020. Methods Letters and other media were written between 1 April and 20 May 2020. Fifty‐six letters, some with accompanying audio or visual media, were submitted in late May 2020. Approval from the University Institutional Review Board was obtained to explore the letters through narrative analysis (Riessman, 2008). As the letters were considered archival, consent from the students for the analysis was not indicated. Once thematic categories were identified independently, the authors discussed the findings until a list of narrative categories and narrative exemplars were agreed on. Results Three main thematic categories were found: stories of change, challenges and thriving. Conclusion Findings were consistent with prior research and reveal new opportunities for understanding the perspectives and needs of undergraduate nursing students during times of crisis. Action by administrators and faculty are recommended.

Exploring the Intersection Between Academic and Professional Practice During the COVID-19 Pandemic: Undergraduate and Graduate Nursing Students’ Experiences

“…Participants in this study reported experiencing a myriad of emotions, namely, stress, fear, loss, and pride. Our findings are consistent with other studies that report that undergraduate nursing students experience stress related to COVID-19 ( Aslan & Pekince, 2020 ; Heilferty et al, 2021 ; Lovrić et al, 2020 ). Sources of stress include moving from in-person to online learning, cancellation of clinical placements, watching the news, and worrying about the risk of infection.…”

“… Dewart et al (2020) suggested that a sense of pride comes from recognizing the substantial dedication, contributions, and sacrifices made by nurses during the pandemic, who consistently prioritize the needs of patients and communities. In addition, Heilferty et al (2021) reported that undergraduate students expressed positive experiences and recognition of lessons learned.…”

“…The global pandemic affects nurses personally, socially, and in the context of the community in which they work. Recent work highlights that undergraduate nursing students feel increased levels of stress and may require additional support to improve knowledge and coping strategies to prepare them for work during a pandemic and post pandemic ( Aslan & Pekince, 2020 ; Goni-Fuste et al, 2021 ; Heilferty et al, 2021 ; Usher et al, 2020 ).…”

Nursing students’ clinical placement experiences during the Covid-19 pandemic: A phenomenological study

“…The participants had the opportunity to acquire advanced technical skills and, probably thanks to their young age, to profit from their adaptation to change, which, as reported elsewhere ( Casafont et al, 2021 , Heilferty et al, 2021 ), made this experience distinctive. Nursing students were able to see how the organisational changes led to a consequent reallocation of healthcare staff, both doctors and nurses, who were assigned to a different operational context from their own ( Dunn et al, 2020 ).…”

Are internship experiences during a pandemic related to students’ commitment to nursing education? A cross-sectional study

“…, Ferranti et al, 2016 ; Gaffney et al, 2021 ; Musallam and Flinders, 2021 ), a body of knowledge on internship experiences during a pandemic is lacking. Studies who do address this issue are predominantly case studies (e.g., McGeehin Heilferty et al, 2021 ) or interview studies who mainly focused on the experience of final year nursing students (e.g., Gómez-Ibáñez et al, 2020 ; Velarde-García et al, 2021 ; Casafont et al, 2021 ). The limited quantitative research that is available focused on nursing students’ quality of life, risk perception, and teacher and team support during internships (e.g., Grande et al, 2021 ; Ulenaers et al, 2021 ).…”