Effects of Online Teaching during the COVID-19 Pandemic on Nursing Students’ Intention to Join the Nursing Workforce: A Cross-Sectional Study

Abstract

Nursing education programs were interrupted and largely moved online as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The purpose of this study was to explore Taiwanese nursing students’ perspectives on online teaching during the COVID-19 pandemic and whether changes in teaching models have affected their intention to join the nursing workforce. A multi-center cross-sectional survey was conducted. Nursing students at universities and those at 5-year junior colleges were recruited to participate in the study. Data were collected through an online questionnaire survey. A total of 687 students responded to the questionnaire. The results were analyzed using percentages, mean ranks, and nonparametric methods. The results showed that 78.6% of the students agreed that online teaching was more flexible; most students stated that technical problems with computer equipment and stability of the network were large challenges that impeded online teaching. Furthermore, up to 64.8% of the students considered that online courses had affected their preparations for future nursing jobs, especially in terms of a lack of proficiency in nursing skills and inadequacy in actual interactions with patients. Online teaching is a powerful tool for nursing education, but a thoughtful strategy and more proactive approach are necessary to overcome the existing challenges for online teaching.