Exploring the experiences of nursing faculty during the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic—A qualitative descriptive study

AIM: To gain an understanding of the experiences of nurse educators during the COVID-19 crisis. BACKGROUND: The pandemic forced the closure of colleges and universities nationwide. Nurse educators were challenged to offer didactic and experiential learning in online formats. DESIGN: Qualitative description. METHOD: A purposive sample of 27 nurse educators employed in Maryland participated in semi-structured interviews from February to April 2021. Content analysis was performed by two researchers independently and results compared for thematic analysis. RESULTS: Three themes were identified: (1) uncertainty within pandemic ambiguity, (2) prioritizing pedagogy, and (3) professional commitment. CONCLUSION: Faculty need increased pedagogical support for online teaching. Online pedagogies must include ways to support student emotional well-being and development of clinical judgment. A profession-wide reflection of how nursing education can meet the evolving needs of the health care system, especially when access to clinical sites is limited, is warranted.