Nursing Faculty Experience With Online Distance Education During COVID-19 Crisis: A Qualitative Study

BACKGROUND: COVID-19 pandemic influenced education and forced universities to shift from face-to-face teaching to remote online teaching. This sudden shift in educational pedagogy provoked several challenges to educators. PURPOSE: The purpose of this study is to explore the first experience of nursing faculty members with online distant education (ODE) within the context of COVID-19 national curfew. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design guided by a phenomenological approach was used utilizing purposive sampling for exploring the experiences of fifteen nursing faculty members by two focus group discussions through Zoom. RESULTS: Qualitative analysis, using Colaizzi's method revealed four major themes including: (1) resolving immediate reaction toward abrupt compulsory online teaching; fulfilling teaching responsibilities; managing the challenges of ODE, (2) struggling with available resources and capabilities; (3) ODE defeated geographic and time boundaries, and interrupted personal time management: yet a new learning experience; insufficiency of ODE; and (4) achieving clinical competencies and learning outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: This study provides evidence on the importance of preparing and training faculty to embrace and sustain the mastery of ODE to ensure the success of ODE. It also emphasizes the institutional and infrastructure readiness to enhance the transition from traditional teaching and learning to ODE.