Objectives: Grit and resilience are related but separate concepts. Grit is a long-term commitment toward goals, and it impacts student success and academic achievement. Resilience is the ability of students to recover from stress. Both are important factors in nursing students.
Methods: This descriptive study included surveys measuring demographics, grit, and resilience among two cohorts of senior nursing students in their last semester and explored challenges and difficulties experienced during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Results: The mean grit score for all students was 4.0 (0.52) and the mean resilience score was 3.63 (0.73). Directed content analysis of the ten open-ended survey questions revealed three themes: Impact on Education, Personal Impact, and Coping Mechanisms.
Conclusions: Grit and resilience are important factors that can contribute to success in nursing programs and as graduate nurses in the healthcare settings.
Keywords: COVID-19; baccalaureate nursing education; nursing education research; nursing students; psychological resilience.
© 2022 Walter de Gruyter GmbH, Berlin/Boston.