• To gain insights into the effect of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the delivery of nurse education programmes
• To learn about the experiences of students undertaking the community children’s nursing specialist practitioner programme during the COVID-19 pandemic
• To explore positive and negative perceptions of different methods of delivering learning and teaching in the context of community children’s nurse education
Background The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic resulted in significant changes to education delivery. For many university programmes this has included a move from face-to-face to virtual and online learning and teaching.
Aim To gain insight into the experiences of students undertaking the community children’s nursing specialist practitioner programme during the academic year 2020-21, when most learning and teaching was delivered using virtual and online methods as a consequence of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Method A survey questionnaire containing qualitative and quantitative questions was distributed to 28 students by programme leaders at three universities in England. Seven questionnaires were returned, yielding a 25% response rate.
Findings Respondents’ experience of online and virtual learning was generally positive, with benefits for work-life balance and the opportunity to revisit recorded lectures being particularly well regarded. Loss of opportunity for face-to-face engagement with fellow students and the teaching team were identified as disadvantages.
Conclusion There was strong student support for the provision of more flexible approaches to learning and teaching. Universities should recognise that failure to offer such flexibility could potentially affect recruitment and the viability of courses in the future.
Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2023.e1462
Peer reviewThis article has been subject to open peer review and checked for plagiarism using automated software
Correspondence Conflict of interestNone declared
Whiting M, Whiting L, Roberts-Edema K et al (2023) Virtual and online learning during COVID-19: the experience of community children’s nursing students. Nursing Children and Young People. doi: 10.7748/ncyp.2023.e1462
Published online: 20 March 2023
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