Navigating nursing curriculum change during COVID-19 pandemic: A systematic review and meta-synthesis

AIM: To consolidate the evidence around the experiences of nursing undergraduates and faculty members navigating through remote and online education during the COVID-19 pandemic. BACKGROUND: The Coronavirus disease 2019 caused by the SARS-CoV-2 Virus (COVID-19) has placed massive pressure on healthcare, economic and education systems globally. Restrictive social distancing policies and public health measures necessitated educational institutions to switch from face-to-face to remote and online education to sustain the learning process. These changes have created an uncertain path and undue stress for healthcare learners and faculty, especially for professional roles that traditionally require more hands-on and access to clinical practice particularly pre-licensure nursing students. As such, there is an urgent need to consolidate evidence on the experiences of nursing undergraduates and faculty members as they navigate the rapid transition from face-to-face to remote and online education to ensure continuity of learning in achieving optimal learning outcomes and to support them during current and future public health crises. DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-synthesis of the qualitative literature was undertaken using Sandelowski and Barroso’s approach. METHODS: Six electronic databases, CINAHL, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, PubMed and Scopus, were searched systematically using the eligibility criteria from December 2019 to September 2022. The Critical Appraisal Skills Program checklist for qualitative studies was used to conduct the critical appraisal of the selected articles. RESULTS: Forty-seven studies were included in this review, which encapsulates the experiences of 3052 undergraduates and 241 faculty members. An overarching meta-theme ‘Remote and online education: a rollercoaster ride’, emerged along with three main meta-themes: (1) Transition to remote and online education: A turbulent road, (2) Acceptance of the untravelled road, (3) Hopes and recommendations for the road ahead. CONCLUSION: To improve nursing undergraduates’ and faculty member’s navigation of remote and online education, more institutions should move towards establishing hybrid education as the new ‘normal’ and exercise prudence in the organisation and delivery of curriculum, teaching, well-being and clinical attachment contingencies of their healthcare courses.