Blended Learning Approaches in Nursing Education During the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Review

Abstract

Nurse academics have faced many challenges in conducting face-to-face teaching and clinical training in the COVID-19 pandemic. Compared to the past, there was increased interest and usage in online education during the COVID-19 pandemic in nursing education. This short communication highlights the important aspects that nurse academics should consider while designing nursing curricula to face future pandemics based on the experiences of the COVID-19 pandemic. This short communication includes a critical analysis of experiences from previous pandemics and the lesson learned from the present pandemic of the use of blended learning approaches in nursing education. These would be effective in considering nursing curricula reforms. Four key themes related to blended learning were identified as blended learning, blended learning in nursing education, challenges related to blended learning and strengthening of the blended learning culture. In conclusion, the pandemic has taught nurse academics to navigate nursing curricula to suit current teaching and learning demands. Reforming curricula by incorporating blended learning would be timely.