Abstract
Purpose: To synthesize and examine published research on the ways in which undergraduate Nursing education programmes in various countries adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) integrative review approach informed this review. This approach was chosen by the researchers because it allows inclusion of various research methodologies to highlight different perspectives regarding a research problem. The five-stage framework includes: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation of findings.
Key words were used in conjunction with Boolean operators, truncation, and spelling variants to search three electronic databases. The search terms used were: “nursing education” OR “nursing studies” OR “undergraduate nursing education” OR “baccalaureate degree in nursing”, AND “adaptation” OR “adapt*” OR “response”, AND “COVID-19” OR “COVID 19” OR “COVID” OR “novel coronavirus” OR “novel corona virus” OR “coronavirus” OR “corona virus” OR “SARS-CoV2” OR “SARS CoV-2” OR “SARS CoV2” OR “pandemic”. The databases searched included: CINAHL, Science Direct and Web of Science. The search was limited to research published from January 2020 - September 2021 due to the novelty of COVID-19. COVID-19 was first reported by officials in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. Only full-text, peer-reviewed academic journals with abstract written or translated in English were included in the review. The process of review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) format – identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion.
The database search identified 2,177 publications. Duplicates were removed, resulting in 1,976 publications that were screened further. Screening involved the removal of opinion pieces, editorial articles, presentations, publications that did not focus on undergraduate Nursing education programmes alone, publications that did not centre on adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic and publications that did not satisfy the general inclusion criteria. Abstracts were screened by the researchers twice to ensure rigour in evaluating whether the inclusion criteria have been met. A total of 1,957 publications were further excluded during the screening process, thereby resulting in 19 publications for full text evaluation.
Results: Nineteen peer-reviewed publications met the inclusion criteria for full review. Research publications selected had varying research designs. Five research elements were evaluated for quality. These publications identified different ways in which undergraduate nursing education around the world utilised various forms of digital learning technology to adapt to the teaching and learning challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. Of the evidence available, the teaching and learning methodologies identified include: online lectures and webinars, interactive virtual learning experiences such as videos, presentations, quizzes, games, and other web-based interactive forms of multimedia files and textual content, virtual simulation opportunities for students to learn nursing skills and supervised telehealth experience to connect with patients.
Conclusion: A shift to various forms of digital learning technology is the key feature of how undergraduate Nursing education programmes around the world adapted to the issues posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift is not without challenges as seen from the perspective of both learners and teachers.
Sigma Membership
Theta Xi
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Systematic Review
Research Approach
N/A
Keywords:
Nursing Education, COVID-19, Teaching and Learning Strategies, Pandemic, Education During the Pandemic
Recommended Citation
Hernandez, Monina A.; Diaz, Gina B.; and Cuevas, Pearl Ed G., "Crisis Response in Nursing Education: An Integrative Review of Nursing Programme Adaptation to COVID-19" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 3.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2022/presentations_2022/3
Conference Name
33rd International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Edinburgh, Scotland
Conference Year
2022
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-12-15
Crisis Response in Nursing Education: An Integrative Review of Nursing Programme Adaptation to COVID-19
Edinburgh, Scotland
Purpose: To synthesize and examine published research on the ways in which undergraduate Nursing education programmes in various countries adapted to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Methods: Whittemore and Knafl’s (2005) integrative review approach informed this review. This approach was chosen by the researchers because it allows inclusion of various research methodologies to highlight different perspectives regarding a research problem. The five-stage framework includes: problem identification, literature search, data evaluation, data analysis and presentation of findings.
Key words were used in conjunction with Boolean operators, truncation, and spelling variants to search three electronic databases. The search terms used were: “nursing education” OR “nursing studies” OR “undergraduate nursing education” OR “baccalaureate degree in nursing”, AND “adaptation” OR “adapt*” OR “response”, AND “COVID-19” OR “COVID 19” OR “COVID” OR “novel coronavirus” OR “novel corona virus” OR “coronavirus” OR “corona virus” OR “SARS-CoV2” OR “SARS CoV-2” OR “SARS CoV2” OR “pandemic”. The databases searched included: CINAHL, Science Direct and Web of Science. The search was limited to research published from January 2020 - September 2021 due to the novelty of COVID-19. COVID-19 was first reported by officials in Wuhan City, China in December 2019. Only full-text, peer-reviewed academic journals with abstract written or translated in English were included in the review. The process of review followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) format – identification, screening, eligibility, and inclusion.
The database search identified 2,177 publications. Duplicates were removed, resulting in 1,976 publications that were screened further. Screening involved the removal of opinion pieces, editorial articles, presentations, publications that did not focus on undergraduate Nursing education programmes alone, publications that did not centre on adaptation to COVID-19 pandemic and publications that did not satisfy the general inclusion criteria. Abstracts were screened by the researchers twice to ensure rigour in evaluating whether the inclusion criteria have been met. A total of 1,957 publications were further excluded during the screening process, thereby resulting in 19 publications for full text evaluation.
Results: Nineteen peer-reviewed publications met the inclusion criteria for full review. Research publications selected had varying research designs. Five research elements were evaluated for quality. These publications identified different ways in which undergraduate nursing education around the world utilised various forms of digital learning technology to adapt to the teaching and learning challenges of COVID-19 pandemic. Of the evidence available, the teaching and learning methodologies identified include: online lectures and webinars, interactive virtual learning experiences such as videos, presentations, quizzes, games, and other web-based interactive forms of multimedia files and textual content, virtual simulation opportunities for students to learn nursing skills and supervised telehealth experience to connect with patients.
Conclusion: A shift to various forms of digital learning technology is the key feature of how undergraduate Nursing education programmes around the world adapted to the issues posed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This shift is not without challenges as seen from the perspective of both learners and teachers.