Experiences of nursing students preparedness to migrate to online learning during COVID-19 lockdown in Namibia

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 made it mandatory for Namibian education institutions to transition from traditional face-to-face classroom learning to online learning. Minimal time was available to prepare nursing students to adopt this model of learning, which subsequently influenced their learning experiences. AIM: The aim of the study was to explore and describe nursing students’ experiences regarding their preparedness to migrate to online learning during the COVID-19 lockdown at a public university in Namibia. SETTING: Semi-structured interviews were conducted in English at the public university in Kavango East, Namibia. METHODS: A qualitative approach utilising an exploratory and descriptive design was used. Convenience sampling and a semi-structured interview guide was used to assess the experiences of undergraduate nursing students. Data saturation was achieved after 15 interviews. ATLAS.ti 8 software assisted with management of data that was analysed inductively following the six steps of thematic analysis. RESULTS: The following themes emerged from analysis of the data: (1) students’ readiness to migrate to online learning; (2) challenges faced by nursing students during the migration to online learning; and (3) strategies to support the transition from face-to-face to online learning. CONCLUSION: The study’s findings show that the student nurses were unprepared for online learning due to lack of skills and the ability to use technology to navigate online learning platforms. Access to online learning was also hampered by poor Internet connectivity and unreliable electronic devices. CONTRIBUTION: These findings may be used to develop targeted interventions and strategies to mitigate challenges faced during transition from face-to-face to online learning.