Nursing Students’ Experiences on Psychosocial Learning Environment, Personal and Social Challenges and Communication in Periods of Social Isolation: A Qualitative Study

Abstract

In March 2020, the World Health Organization declared the global COVID-19 pandemic outbreak and the Norwegian government declared lockdown to stop the virus from spreading. In Norway, universities were immediately closed, and all teaching and learning were done digitally for the rest of the spring semester 2020. Our aim was to explore nursing students experience with studying and learning, as well as the psychological consequences it may incur during a period of social isolation during the Covid-19 pandemic lockdown. The study is a qualitative study based on a focus group with 6 nursing students. The analysis was conducted following Kvale’s approach to qualitative analysis. Three main categories were identified: (1) psychosocial learning environment, (2) personal and social challenges, and (3) communication. We found that the restrictions due to social isolation and pandemic restrictions such as closing of the university campus, has impacted students` study situation significantly, both psychosocially and academically. If social isolation should be necessary in the future, universities need to use methods such as group discussions, quizzes, and short breaks in the lectures to prevent unnecessary problems among the students. Personal challenges due to the social isolation, such as anxiety or other mental health issues are more difficult to avoid or prevent, but the universities must be better prepared to give students more personal communication, have unformal meetings and providing more information to the students in times of crisis.