Nursing students' experiences of teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic: a systematic review and meta-synthesis of qualitative studies

Introduction: During the COVID-19 pandemic, the sudden transition to virtual learning led to several challenges for nursing students. This study aimed to synthesis nursing students' experiences of teaching and learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. Content: A meta-synthesis of qualitative articles were conducted. Three online databases were searched from December 2019 to December 2022. Qualitative studies and qualitative sections of mixed method studies were included. Summary: Twenty-four qualitative studies and seven mixed-method studies were included in the review. The findings consisted of one main theme "educational transformation", and three categories "challenging face-to-face clinical training", "transition from face-to-face to virtual education", and "support continua". The evidence indicated that during this health-related crisis, most of the training was provided as distance learning in various forms. According to the findings, distance education alone cannot replace face-to-face education and is suggested to be considered as a supplementary learning method. Outlook: This study provides a comprehensive understanding of nursing students' experiences during the COVID-19 pandemic, offering practical implications for educators and institutions globally. The lessons learned can inform strategic decisions, policies, and practices to enhance the resilience and adaptability of nursing education in the face of unforeseen challenges.