Training of nurses during the COVID-19 pandemic in southernmost Brazil: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

ABSTRACT Objectives To identify the strategies adopted to proceed to education nursing during the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods A cross-sectional study was carried out with coordinators of undergraduate nursing programs in the Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. Data collection was carried out online between November 2020 and March 2021. Results A total of 48 coordinators participated. Higher Education Institutions adopted Emergency Remote Education in an average time of 26.9 days after determining social distance and the median of 45 days concerning mandatory internships. In 2020/1, 81.3% of institutions kept students in this activity, and in 2020/2, the number increased to 85.4%. Direct supervision was carried out in 50% of institutions in internships. Access to platforms and digital libraries and asynchronous access to content stood out as an aid to students. Conclusion and implications for practice: Strategies for continuity of teaching included adopting an online strategy, resumption of curricular internships, reducing the number of students per class in practical classes, and student aid. The present study involved the identification of initiatives that ensured nursing education in the context of the pandemic, encouraging the need for new investigations that focus on assessing the impact of such measures on education quality.