RAPID TRANSITION TO EMERGENCY REMOTE TEACHING: NURSING INSTRUCTORS’ EXPERIENCES

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused disruptions worldwide in many areas, including the education sector. With many restrictions in place, educational institutions have been required to operate in emergency remote teaching (ERT) environments. Amid hasty transitions, unique challenges and learning opportunities have arisen. In the field of nursing education, which is traditionally taught in an in-person classroom setting, transitioning to remote online environments can imply unique challenges. Yet there is lack of research on instructors’ transition to ERT, especially within the field of nursing. It is essential to understand the experience, positive and negative, faced by nursing educators using ERT, so that instructors can effectively prepare future nurses, using pedagogies that are innovative and congruent with nursing education. Using a social constructivist theoretical framework and a descriptive phenomenological methodology, this study, conducted at three Canadian universities during the Fall, 2021, has therefore explored how nursing instructors can be better prepared for ERT in the future. The aim of this inquiry was to understand (1) the lived experience of the research participants during this time of adjustment, and (2) how their experience of adjustment influenced their understanding of this transition. Findings yielded seven themes: evolving perspectives, finding support, adapting instructional strategies, using online technology, responding to students, evolving emotions, and personal and peer challenges. At the beginning of their transition, nursing instructors felt overwhelmed due to the magnitude of the situation and, in turn, viewed the transition negatively; however, as they continued to work in ERT their perspectives evolved, leading to the self-discovery by some participants that they have learned how to adapt and maintain a flexible attitude. They also learned the value of technology, found support amongst each other, built on strengths, and responded to students in new ways, while addressing personal challenges, such as balancing work and home life. Having the ability to remain flexible and pivot as needed, coupled with team effort and support, has led me as a researcher to conclude that a sudden and unknown beginning can be transformed into a positive, hopeful, and more resilient future for nurse educators.