Preparing New Nurses During a Pandemic

Abstract

At the height of the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty, staff, and administrators at a large research university in the mid-Atlantic part of the country pivoted to move many classes, laboratories, and clinical experiences to a virtual environment to mitigate the risks of COVID-19. This article will highlight 2 exemplars of how faculty at this university provided students with options to learn in-person or online and how faculty managed to provide students with valuable online learning experiences. Through innovative teaching strategies, this university was able to graduate competent nurses when they were most needed by society.

Keywords: COVID-19; Clinical; Innovation; Nursing; Nursing students; Undergraduate nursing programs; Virtual learning.