Reflections of Family Nurse Practitioner Students During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Qualitative Study

Link, Tamara; Laham, Kelly; Hubbell, Sara; Baisden, Paula

BACKGROUND: To understand family nurse practitioner (FNP) students' academic experience during the COVID-19 pandemic, faculty developed an online reflective discussion board assignment. The richness of the responses prompted faculty to gather data and analyze themes. METHOD: The purpose of this qualitative study was to explore the perspectives of FNP students regarding the impact of COVID-19 on their academic experience. Participants were asked to answer four open-ended questions in a discussion board to address the research question. Responses of consenting students were analyzed qualitatively using open, axial, and selective coding. RESULTS: Four main themes emerged: worry and fear, cyclical stress, mitigation of stress, and personal growth of resilience and empathy. Students emphasized that faculty support strategies mitigated stress and anxiety. CONCLUSION: Understanding students' experience is crucial to facilitating academic success. Faculty in similar situations could better support their students through clear communication, and providing flexibility and opportunities for self-reflection. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(8):449-452.].