The challenges of "learning on the go": A qualitative study of final-year Spanish nursing students incorporated to work during the first Covid-19 pandemic

From students to nurses under pressure: Nursing students' entry into employment during the first COVID-19 wave

AIMS AND OBJECTIVE

To describe the experiences of nursing students and their mental health as they entered employment during the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic (May-June 2020).

BACKGROUND

As other healthcare professionals, nursing students who worked during the first COVID-19 wave suffered from dysfunctional mental health symptoms.

DESIGN

Sequential, mixed-method, multicentre study.

METHODS

The study population comprised 92 students in the third and fourth year of the Nursing degree at three Spanish universities, who entered employment during the pandemic. Data were collected between May and June 2020. In the quantitative phase, data were collected using an online questionnaire containing both validated anxiety and stress scales. In the qualitative phase, semi-structured interviews were conducted with 18 participants. A descriptive analysis of the quantitative data and a reflexive thematic analysis of the qualitative data were carried out, and analyses were combined. COREQ checklist was used for reporting.

RESULTS

The combined quantitative and qualitative results were organised into five thematic areas: (1) Interruption of clinical placements, (2) Entering employment on a healthcare assistant contract, (3) Preventing contagion, (4) Adapting to the situation and managing emotions, and (5) Lessons learned.

CONCLUSION

The students had a positive overall experience of entering employment, as they were able to develop their nursing skills. However, they had an emotional impact in form of stress caused by excessive responsibility, academic uncertainty, lack of personal protective equipment and training in its use, and the possibility of spreading disease to their family members.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

In the current context, changes must be made in study programmes to instruct nursing students to be able to cope with extreme clinical situations, such as pandemics. The programmes should include a more extensive coverage of epidemics and pandemics and management of emotional aspects such as resilience.

Exploring Novice Nurses' Experiences During the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affected how nurses learn and prepare for their future careers. This study explored the experiences of college-prepared, novice nurses pursuing a baccalaureate degree during the first wave of the pandemic.

METHOD

This qualitative descriptive study analyzed students' individual reflective assignments describing the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on novice nurses' personal, professional, and educational lives.

RESULTS

Three themes emerged: (1) emotions generated in the clinical workplace due to the lack of control and the unknown of working as novice nurses during a pandemic; (2) cognitive dissonance of the nursing role regarding novice nurses' moral distress and their growing empowerment within the scope of practice; and (3) a disconcerted image of nursing with contrasting views of nursing from the public's perspective and a disconnect between frontline workers and decision makers.

CONCLUSION

Novel pedagogical strategies are needed to help novice nurses cope with stress, uncertainty, and role challenges to foster healthy learning in academic and working environments. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(8):461-466.].

Experiences of newly hired nurses during the Covid-19 emergency: descriptive qualitative research

BACKGROUND AND AIM OF THE WORK

The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increased demand for healthcare professionals, particularly nurses. The Piacenza Local Health Service, Northern Italy, issued several calls for tenders in order to recruit nurses and the University anticipated graduation sessions, so several new graduates nurses found themselves facing their first work experience in the middle of the pandemic emergency. It is well known that being a first-time employee causes stress, but there are few studies yet investigating the perception of newly employed nurses during the pandemic. The aim of this research is therefore to describe the experience of these nurses.

METHODS

A descriptive qualitative study was conducted through interviews. The research was approved by the 'Area Vasta Emilia Nord Ethics Committee.

RESULTS

14 nurses were interviewed and nine themes were found. Emotions, awareness, job opportunities, professional liability, organisational aspects and relationship with the other.

CONCLUSIONS

Our study shows how stress, anxiety and feelings of inadequacy characterise new nurses' entry into the workplace. Emotional support strategies, such as counselling and emergency preparedness training, could help early career professionals to cope with complex and emotionally charged clinical care situations with greater resilience.

STUDY REGISTRATION

ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT05110859.

Self-assessed competence of final-year nursing students

AIM

To examine the overall level of self-assessed competence of final-year nursing 'bachelors' degree students in the Czech Republic. In addition, the study aimed at the factors associated with the students' level of competence.

DESIGN

A cross-sectional observational study.

METHODS

Data were collected with the Czech version of the Nurse Competence Scale from 274 final-year nursing students of the bachelor's nursing program. Data were analysed using descriptive statistics and multiple regression analyses.

RESULTS

Majority of the students (80.3%) assessed their level of competence as good or very good. The highest level of competence was assessed in the category of 'managing situations' (VAS mean 67.8) and 'work role' (VAS mean 67.2). Previous work experience in healthcare and successful supervisory experience had a positive association with self-assessed competence. Students who completed clinical placement during the COVID-19 pandemic assessed their level of competence as lower than students before the pandemic. No Patient or Public Contribution.

Nursing Students’ Experiences With Patient Death and Palliative and End-of-life Care: A Systematic Review and Meta-synthesis

AIM

To synthesise the experiences of nursing students encountering patient death and caring for patients under palliative care or at end-of-life and their families in clinical settings BACKGROUND: Nurses are pivotal in caring for dying patients and families. It has been reported that nursing students feel unprepared in caring for dying patients and handling patient death. Understanding their experiences would better inform how palliative care education can be improved and how students can be better supported in clinical settings.

DESIGN

A qualitative systematic review and meta-synthesis METHODS: PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, ProQuest and Google Scholar were searched for peer-reviewed articles and theses/dissertations published between 1 January 2012-25 Feb 2023. Qualitative studies of any design reporting nursing students' experiences of patient death, caring for patients under palliative care, at end-of-life, or with time-limiting diseases in clinical settings in English were included. Study quality was evaluated using the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme tool. Data were synthesised using Sandelowski and Barroso's 2-step framework through a meta-summary using thematic analysis, which were then integrated into meta-syntheses using an event timeline.

RESULTS

The review included 71 studies from 26 countries (n = 1586 nursing students). The meta-summary contained 8 themes and 23 subthemes: (1) Communication experience with patients and families, (2) Satisfaction with care provided to patients and families, (3) Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on death and dying, (4) Perceptions of death and dying, (5) Impact of death, (6) Nursing education on palliative end-of-life care, (7) Support systems and coping methods, (8) Learning outcomes. The meta-synthesis depicted nursing students' experiences before, during and after encountering dying patients, families and patient death. Suggestions for nursing faculty and clinical staff on how they could equip students with necessary skills and knowledge and support them in clinical settings were also provided.

CONCLUSIONS

While caring for dying patients and families was beneficial to nursing students' learning and professional development, they encountered many challenges. Governments, clinical and academic nursing leaders must prioritise the integration of palliative care content into the curricula across nursing schools in face of increasing palliative and end-of-life care needs in patients. Nursing schools should ensure that students are adequately prepared by designing culturally and socioeconomically relevant curricula, integrating theoretical and experiential learning and offering students a thorough understanding of palliative and end-of-life care. Clinical staff and nursing instructors should support students emotionally and guide them in patient care.

The Experience of Patient Safety Error for Nursing Students in COVID-19: Focusing on King's Conceptual System Theory

Some nursing students experience errors related to patient safety, such as falls, medication administration errors, and patient identification errors during clinical practice. However, only a few nursing students report errors during clinical practice. Accordingly, the present study aimed to investigate patient safety errors that nursing students experience during clinical practice in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. This study conducted in-depth interviews with 14 candidates for graduation from the Department of Nursing at a university in South Korea. In addition, after transcribing the collected data, a directed content analysis for the data based on King's interacting system theory was performed. As a result, four core categories were identified: (i) nursing students' perception of patient safety error occurrence, (ii) interaction between nursing students and others, (iii) interaction between nursing students and organizations, and (iv) nursing students' training needs related to patient safety errors. Consequently, this study identified the patient safety error-related experiences of nursing students during clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results suggest that in the future, nursing education institutions must establish a system for nursing students to report patient safety errors during clinical practice for patient safety education and develop practical and targeted education strategies in cooperation with practice training hospitals.

The listening project: A qualitative study on the experiences of pre-registered nurses during the Covid-19 pandemic in Scotland

Background

During the COVID 19 pandemic academic institutes worldwide were forced to shift to online or socially distanced learning. Nursing students faced unique challenges due to the limited practical learning environment and removal of supernumerary status to meet increased pressure on health care resources.

Aim

To explore the experiences and perceptions of pre-registered nurses in relation to their university education during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Methods

Underpinned by Lizzio (2006) [1] five senses of student success model, a novel qualitative approach using peer-to-peer discussion was utilized to explore the experiences of pre-registered nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic. Students who were on their second and final year in the nursing program were invited to participate. Interviews were conducted and transcribed using an online meeting platform. Data were analyzed using the five main stages of framework analysis.

Results

Eleven peer-to-peer discussion with 22 students were conducted. The five themes were linked with the five senses student success model: capability, connectedness, purpose, resourcefulness, and culture. Six sub-themes emerged in the data: confidence and learning process, building relationships, communication, student as health professional and mental health consequences of COVID-19 pandemic.

Conclusion

Whilst there was strength in university provision, the pandemic was an opportunity for students and academics to reflect and learn about how to further programme resilience and enhance student support processes. We recommend that nursing programmes should include concepts of transition, pandemic preparedness, collaboration with professional partners, and provision of catch-up sessions to analyse gaps on their skills and knowledge.

Final-Year Nursing Students' Experiences During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Scoping Review

BACKGROUND

The transitional experience from final-year nursing students (FYNS) to newly graduated RNs (NGRN) challenges individuals' professional and personal identities. Multiple studies have documented the experiences of FYNS graduating in the pandemic, but no studies have synthesized the findings.

METHOD

This scoping review examined the barriers and facilitators FYNS experience as they transitioned to become NGRN during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Databases were searched for relevant articles, and articles published in peer-reviewed journals between 2019 and 2021 that focused on the support of FYNS in clinical settings in North America, Europe, and Australia were included.

RESULTS

Three themes were identified: emotional turmoil and coping, clinical competence and readiness for practice, and teaching strategies.

CONCLUSION

This review revealed important insight on how the pandemic affected FYNS' transition to practice and identified gaps in the literature for future research. [J Nurs Educ. 2023;62(1):6-11.].

Clinical experiences of final-year nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

OBJECTIVES

This systematic review aimed to qualitatively synthesise existing literature to examine the clinical nursing experiences of final-year nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic and provide recommendations for the effective management of clinical placement of nursing students.

DESIGN

A qualitative systematic review was conducted and reported following Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis (PRISMA) guidelines.

DATA SOURCES

Five electronic databases were searched and qualitative studies were included for analysis if they focussed on the clinical nursing experiences of final-year nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic.

REVIEW METHODS

Data synthesis was conducted by extracting all findings, developing categories, and producing synthesised findings.

RESULTS

Four synthesised findings were concluded: 1) facing the unknown and willingness to help, 2) challenging the clinical environment, 3) transition improving professional identity, and 4) finding ways out of the pandemic.

CONCLUSIONS

The transition of nursing students to clinical nursing practice during the pandemic is a personally and professionally challenging process, while nursing students try to adapt to the changing clinical environment and enhance their professional identity. Nursing managers and health policymakers should acknowledge the challenges encountered by nursing students during the pandemic and support the professional growth of future nursing teams by providing high-quality supervision.

The influence of emotional burnout and resilience on the psychological distress of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic

The aim of this study was to measure and analyse the association of emotional burnout and resilience with the psychological distress of students who finished their nursing studies after the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic. The mental health of nursing students was affected during the pandemic, and resilience seems to counteract the negative effects. This is a cross-sectional study. The data (quantitative) were gathered at the beginning of the second term of the academic year 2020/2021. The study was carried out in the Spanish university context. Self-reported measures were gathered using three one-dimensional, valid, and reliable scales: the Psychological Distress Scale (K-10), the Emotional Burnout Scale (EBS), and the short version of the Connor-Davidson Resilience Scale (CD-RISC10). A total of 393 students of different Spanish universities participated in this study. A valid linear regression model was obtained, which allowed verifying that psychological distress is explained, with 37% variance, by emotional burnout and resilience. The total score in emotional burnout has more relevance than the total score in resilience, and the latter has a negative tendency. Facing the factors that generate emotional burnout in students in the academic scope and promoting resilience in them are fundamental aspects that contribute to their psychological well-being. The reflection should be extended to clinical practices. Universities are urged to think about last-year students, their experiences, perceptions, and feelings, to determine how their susceptibility to emotional burnout and psychological distress can be minimized in their future clinical practices. Strategies to promote their resilience should also be studied.

"Jumping into the COVID-19 arena": The professional transition into clinical practice of new graduate nurses in Italy at time of COVID-19

AIMS AND OBJECTIVES

To evaluate the impact of the professional transition of new graduate nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic.

BACKGROUND

The transition from the role of student to the professional role can be challenging for new graduate nurses for the acquisition of higher autonomy and responsibility. The COVID-19 pandemic impacted the quality of the professional transition.

DESIGN

This was a cross-sectional observational study following the Strengthening and Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology checklist.

METHODS

One hundred and two nurses who graduated in three consecutive sessions (November 2019-pre-pandemic, March 2020-pandemic outbreak, and November 2020-2nd wave) in a north Italian university located in the most affected Italian region by the COVID-19 pandemic, completed an online survey assessing well-being, risk of burnout, resilience, perceived stigma, strengths and limitations and quality of the professional transition. The study was performed between March and May 2021.

RESULTS

81.4% of participants described the professional transition as worse than expected, and new graduate nurses who worked in COVID-19 settings reported a more difficult transition to professional life. No differences emerged in burnout, mental well-being and perceived stigma between new graduate nurses who worked in COVID-19 settings and those who did not. Similarly, no differences emerged amongst the three graduated cohort sessions. The most commonly mentioned challenges faced during the transition were organisational aspects, suddenly acquired autonomy and lack of suitable coaching.

CONCLUSION

New graduate nurses reported a challenging academic-professional transition, in particular, those who worked in COVID-19 settings. The mid- and long-term impact of experiencing an academic-professional transition in COVID-19 settings should be assessed and monitored.

RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE

The professional transition of new graduate students should be adequately planned and monitored, new graduates should be assisted to develop realistic expectations about the transition, and an adequate coaching period should be guaranteed all the more during health emergencies.

Under-graduate nursing students working during the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic: A qualitative study of psychosocial effects and coping strategies

BACKGROUND

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shortage of health care staff, forcing the hiring of senior nursing students.

AIMS

To describe the psychosocial impact and coping strategies used by nursing students during the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic and to understand the coping strategies they employed.

METHOD

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted, based on Sandelowski's proposal. Purposive sampling was carried out to recruit 18 students hired during the pandemic. The students were interviewed between 18 March and 15 June 2020. Semi-structured interviews were conducted using a digital platform. An inductive thematic analysis was performed.

FINDINGS

The students lived alone and isolated during their contract to protect their cohabitants from possible contagion. The impact of working during the pandemic leads to experiences of stress, insomnia, nightmares and anxiety. Nursing students coped with the emotional burden through mental disconnection and the support of co-workers and family members.

CONCLUSION

Psychological support and tutoring should be provided by health centres. In addition, in these special circumstances, universities should adapt the training provided.

Learning and quality of life in undergraduate nursing students: An exploratory study in Chile during the COVID-19 pandemic

BACKGROUND

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is a global pandemic that has modified all social and, especially, learning instances. The purpose of this study was to determine the perception of final-year nursing students at a university in southern Chile regarding the impact of the pandemic on their learning, and consequently on their quality of life, in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

This is a qualitative study. The research was conducted on 14 nursing students who were selected from a university located in the province of Talca, Maule Region, Chile. Data collection was done through semi-structured interviews conducted during July and September 2021. The data were analyzed using the inductive logic of theoretical categorization; this process was assisted by the Nvivo 10 program.

RESULTS

Two mega categories were generated that accounted for the nursing students' experience during the COVID-19 pandemic: objective factors category and subjective factors category. Six subcategories were derived from these two categories: free time, social relationships, learning from practice, physical exercise, eating habits, and emotional state.

CONCLUSION

The research findings indicate that the students, in addition to feeling upset about not being able to do the internship, also feel that they have not been able to acquire all the knowledge necessary for their training and professional development, since the virtual classes fail to deliver adequate learning as they lack the practical component that is so important in their careers. This has repercussions in the physical, social, and psychological areas, affecting their quality of life.

A year and a half later: Clinical experiences of intern nursing students in the COVID-19 Pandemic: A constructivist grounded theory

Aims

The aim of this study is to develop a theory to explore the clinical experiences of interns in clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background

The COVID-19 pandemic is a serious public health problem influencing the healthcare systems worldwide. Nursing students were excluded from clinical practice for a long time due to the pandemic. However, the prolonged and uncertain pandemic conditions required the inclusion of fourth-year nursing students in clinical practice.

Design

A qualitative research design based on the Constructivist Grounded Theory approach was used in this study.

Methods

The research data were collected from fourth-year nursing students doing an internship at a university hospital in Turkey. Fourteen nursing students (12 females and 2 males) in the clinical practice during the COVID-19 pandemic with a mean age of 22.64 ± 0.225 were included in the study. In the collection of data, firstly, the purposeful sample selection method, then the theoretical sample selection method was used. On the online interview platform, the data were collected through individual interviews with those agreeing to participate in the study between July 2021 and August 2021 using a semi-structured interview form. The results were analyzed with initial, focused and theoretical coding. The research was reported based on the Consolidated Criteria for Reporting Qualitative Research guide.

Results

A core category and five main categories emerged in the study. The core category is a lonely bird and the main categories are emotions, challenges, coping methods, nursing experiences and solution suggestions.

Conclusions

This research can help create a conceptual framework of clinical practice experiences of intern nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic. It is thought that intern nursing students need to be supported by reliable authorities before and during the internship. Intern students stated that they experienced many emotions together and felt alone. Our study results revealed that intern nurses need more psychological support, especially during the pandemic period. A remarkable finding of the research is that interns now think of themselves as professional nurses. For interns to develop effective coping methods, intensive and regular training should be organized in cooperation with the hospital and school administration.

Clinical Training during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Experiences of Nursing Students and Implications for Education

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused difficulties in the organization of clinical classes for nursing students. It is therefore important to explore students’ experiences related to participation in clinical classes during the pandemic and to draw conclusions that will allow for the introduction of innovations enabling the development of the required professional competencies as part of training during current and future pandemic restrictions. In this study, we aimed to explore the experiences of nursing students related to clinical education during the COVID-19 pandemic and to identify practical implications for this education in the future. A qualitative study was performed based on individual interviews among Polish nursing students (n = 20). The study is reported using the COREQ checklist. Content analysis was applied, and five main categories were identified, including ‘the key role of clinical mentor’, ‘theory-practice gap’, ‘ambivalent emotions and ethical challenges’, ‘to be part of the team’, and ‘strengthened professional identity’. The results of our research indicate that higher education institutions should implement clear strategies to support students, both in terms of psychological support and compensation of professional skills, the development of which might be limited during the pandemic. Modern technologies, including medical simulations, virtual reality, artificial intelligence, and telemedicine should be used in the practical teaching of nursing students to educate them on how to cope with difficult, new situations, build decision-making skills, and solve problems.

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

BACKGROUND

The predominate role of internships on the retention of nursing students highlights the need to monitor internship experiences during a healthcare crisis like CoViD-19.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the relation between internships experiences during a pandemic and student nurses' commitment or intention-to-leave the nursing program; as well as the relation between internship experiences and commitment or intention-to-leave the nursing program.

DESIGN, SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS

A cross-sectional study using a sample of 1.079 nursing students from18 nursing schools in Flanders, Belgium. Students from all study years were eligible to participate.

METHODS

Online self-reporting survey during the first CoViD-19 wave (April-May 2020). Regression analyses were used to explore the association with students' commitment or intention-to-leave.

RESULTS

Students reported high levels of study commitment (4.06; SD 0.66; range 1-5), and an overall low intention-to-leave (1.64; SD 0.83; range 1-5). No difference in commitment or intention-to-leave were seen between students who did or did not had internship experience during CoViD-19 period. Need-supportive experiences - indicating that students felt competent, related to the team, and could be themselves on internship - coincided with high commitment. Conversely, need-frustrating experiences - indicating that students felt insecure, unrelated, and controlled by the nursing team - increased intention-to-leave nursing education. Students who felt pressured for an internship during the first wave of the CoViD-19 crisis, had more doubts to continue nursing education, and an increased chance on drop-out.

CONCLUSIONS

We recommend nursing schools to assess student's motivation when making a substantiated decision concerning internships during a health crisis, as facing an imposed or subjective mandatory decision to go into clinical practice might lead to less commitment to the study program. For both teacher and staff mentors it is deemed important to discuss the internship climate with the student, in order to early identify need-frustrating issues during internship.

Nursing students' experience of providing frontline COVID-19 support: A qualitative study

Understanding the unique experience of nursing students providing frontline support in COVID-19 hospital wards is crucial for the design of strategies to improve crisis management and mitigate future pandemic outbreaks. Limited research concerning this phenomenon has been published. This qualitative study aimed to understand the experience of providing support from COVID-19 frontline nursing students' perspective. Online interviews were conducted with nine nursing students from April to May 2020; interview data were analyzed by content analysis using Burnard's method. Six main categories emerged from the data analysis: "experiencing a rapid transition from student to professional," "fear and uncertainty of the unknown," "resilience throughout the crisis," "sense of belonging to a team," "shared responsibility," and "importance of the profession." Based on these findings, multicomponent strategies that function in parallel with practical contexts should be developed to enable students to diligently adapt their abilities to their new role and cope with health crises.

Ethical challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic: Perspectives of nursing students

BACKGROUND

The first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a shortage of qualified nurses in Spain. As a result, the government authorized the hiring of senior students.

OBJECTIVES

To explore the ethical dilemmas and ethical conflicts experienced by final-year nursing students who worked during the first outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic in Spain.

RESEARCH DESIGN

A qualitative exploratory study was conducted using purposive sampling. Semi-structured interviews were carried out using a question guide. Interviews took place via a private video chat room platform. A thematic, inductive analysis was performed of the information gathered.

PARTICIPANTS AND RESEARCH CONTEXT

Eighteen nursing students were recruited from two universities of Madrid, aged between 18 and 65 years old, enrolled in the fourth year of nursing studies and who were hired under a relief contract for health professionals during the pandemic.

ETHICAL CONSIDERATIONS

The present study was carried out in accordance with the Declaration of Helsinki, and the study was approved by the Local Ethics Committee of Universidad Rey Juan Carlos.

RESULTS

Three specific themes emerged: (a) coping with patient triage, (b) difficulties in providing end-of-life care, and (c) coping with patient death. Nursing students participated in the process of patient selection for resource allocation and ICU bed occupancy. They were shown how to care for patients who were not admitted to the ICU, in their last moments and were faced with the difficulties of applying end-of-life care. Finally, the nursing students were confronted with the death of their patients, in overwhelming numbers and under adverse conditions.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings can help shed light on the ethical dilemmas and ethical conflicts faced by novice nursing students, incorporated into the workforce during the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it was described that students may normalize the death due to the exhaustion and overwhelmed routine.

Diaries of Nursing Students during the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Descriptive Study

Little is known about the experiences of nursing students during the pandemic process. This research was conducted to determine the feelings, thoughts, and experiences of nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic process. This qualitative study was conducted with 47 first-year nursing students of a faculty that experienced the COVID-19 pandemic between 3-30 April 2020. Student nurses stated that they felt fear and anxiety; they liked this situation in the beginning due to the constraints during the pandemic process, but due to the prolongation of this process, they experienced boredom due to monotonous extraordinary days of doing the same things every day and realized that every moment before the pandemic was very valuable. In addition, the students stated that rich and poor are equal in the face of the virus and that all humanity has learned solidarity by leaving wars, fights, and superiority efforts. In this process, it was found that nursing students have negative coping methods, such as not being able to manage time well due to constraints at home and spending too much time on the phone, internet, and computer. In this context, empowering nursing students to cope with challenging emotions and thoughts starting from their educational life will contribute to the development of both students and the profession.