Impact of COVID-19 on public health nursing student learning outcomes

The development and challenges of public health nursing education in China from 1912 to 1949: A historical study

OBJECTIVE

To examine the development and challenges of public health nursing education in China during the period of the Republic of China (1912-1949).

METHODS

This study utilized a historical research design that combined a social framework and a policy framework to explore the early history of public health nursing education in China. Historical data were collected from periodicals, newspapers, archives, books and other sources.

RESULTS

Public health was integrated into the nursing school curriculum for the first time during the period of the Republic of China, and health facilities and nursing schools conducted early explorations of public health nurse training. However, public health nursing education faced difficulties in terms of the curriculum, personnel training, and the localization of education.

CONCLUSIONS

The achievements and difficulties associated with public health nursing education in China during the period of the Republic of China provide a historical reference for the integration of public health into current basic nursing education and the compatibility between the training of public health nurses and practical needs. Comparative studies of early public health nursing education across countries are expected to offer a better understanding of current public health nursing education.

Effects of the First Wave of the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Work Readiness of Undergraduate Nursing Students in China: A Mixed-Methods Study

Background

Newly graduated nurses with strong work readiness are more likely to smoothly transition from school to clinical settings. However, even before the pandemic, this transition from nursing graduate to clinical nurse was often challenging. Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of the initial wave of COVID-19 on the work readiness of nursing students.

Methods

A convergent mixed-method design was employed. For the quantitative study, an online cross-sectional survey was conducted among 500 graduating nursing students from four Chinese public higher education institutions. The questionnaire comprises three parts: socio-demographic information, the Chinese version of the Work Readiness Scale for Graduate Nurse, and a questionnaire on the socio-behavioral impact of COVID-19 on the general population. In the qualitative study, a semi-structured interview was carried out with 8 students who took part in the survey. The results from both parts were integrated using the "Pillar Integration Process".

Results

The study identified six key pillars: "Graduating nursing students possess fundamental knowledge, skills, and a preparedness in terms of attitude and psychology"; "Specialist knowledge and skills and soft skills for transition from nursing students to clinical nurses need to be strengthened"; "The most obvious impact of COVID-19 on nursing students are the adoption of preventive measures and the limitations in study and daily life due to household confinement"; "Growth in both personal and professional awareness"; "Negative effects of fear and anxiety"; and "Negative effects of household confinement".

Conclusion

Graduating nursing students require additional preparation in specialized nursing knowledge, skills, and soft skills to make a successful transition from students to clinical nurses. It is important to acknowledge that the impact of COVID-19 on students' work readiness has both positive and negative aspects. Therefore, whether during the pandemic or post-graduation, these students will benefit from increased support from universities and hospitals.

Abrupt Transition to Remote Learning in Nursing Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic

BACKGROUND

This scoping review aimed to identify the issues faced by nursing students, including those in undergraduate and graduate programs, during the emergency academic learning transition from face-to-face to remote learning at the outset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic.

METHOD

Five electronic databases were searched for eligible studies, published between January 2020 and May 2023. Studies that focused on remote learning among nursing students during the COVID-19 pandemic were eligible for inclusion. Subsequently, the data were extracted and thematically synthesized.

RESULTS

After searching and reviewing the literature, 34 primary and empirical studies were identified. The data synthesis identified six themes, including four weaknesses and two strengths.

CONCLUSION

This review demonstrated that nursing students have endeavored to overcome the situation amid the sudden transition in educational modalities and remained committed to their academic progress. We recommend that a new paradigm of nursing education should be prepared for nursing students and faculties. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(2):108-115.].

The solitary and uncertain learning process: A qualitative study of nursing students' experiences in the initial phase of the COVID-19 pandemic

When the Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic broke out, the nursing students clinical practice period was abruptly interrupted by the lock down. The present study aimed to investigate the nursing students' learning experiences during the initial phase of the pandemic. A qualitative study was conducted investigating nursing students' written assignments (n = 48) of reflections according to their learning process. The qualitative data analysis revealed three main themes, namely the solitary and uncertain learning process; from collective learning process to digital devices; additional learning outcomes. The students' anxiety about the virus affected their motivation to study, but they also expressed enthusiasm and gratitude for having the opportunity to learn about the health system in a time of crisis. These results point towards the health care authorities can rely on nursing students' ability to take part and cover important emergency functions. The use of technology helped the students to achieve their learning objectives.

Public health in undergraduate nursing education and workforce readiness

Student engagement with the community is a cornerstone of undergraduate nursing education in Canada. Working with community from perspectives of social justice, health equity, advocacy, and political action are essential for workforce readiness. We suggest that the erosion of public health theory and clinical courses in baccalaureate nursing programs undermines the potential capability of nurses to address the intersectionality of the social determinants of health. The impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on populations further demonstrates inequities, particularly among marginalized populations. Public health nursing education supports students' understanding about the health impacts of social injustice, how systemic racism is embedded in colonial and Eurocentric structures, and practices of superiority and privileges.We, as a national group of public health nursing educators, set out to investigate how existing guidelines and competencies support public health in undergraduate education across Canada. Results from a national questionnaire of educators, and of PHN leaders on new graduate practice readiness are presented. Questionnaire responses confirm an erosion of PHN theory and practice in baccalaureate nursing education (BNE) curricula. The results of the questionnaires combined with evidence of PHN since the global pandemic provide educators and practitioners more insight to inform future directions to respond to workforce readiness.