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Lived Experience of Being and Becoming a Nurse During the COVID 19 Pandemic

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Thesis(1.46 MB)

Date

2025

Authors

Waters, Amy

Supervisor

Trafford, Julie
Rai, Meenal

Item type

Thesis

Degree name

Master of Philosophy

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Volume Title

Publisher

Auckland University of Technology

Abstract

The COVID 19 pandemic profoundly impacted on nursing education globally, including New Zealand. This crisis, demanded rapid adaptation to virtual programme delivery, to ensure the continuity and efficacy of nursing education. This qualitative descriptive study explores the lived experience of being and becoming a nurse, during the COVID 19 pandemic at MIT, in South Auckland, New Zealand. The focus is on how nursing students navigated the educational and professional challenges while fostering peer connections and developing their professional identity. The study used three focus groups comprised of six participants in each, the focus groups were comprised of students from Bachelor of Nursing, Bachelor of Nursing (Pacific) and Te Tohu Paetahi Tikanga Rangatira aa-Tapuhi (Bachelor of Nursing Maaori) respectively. Braun and Clarke’s reflexive thematic analysis was employed to identify three key themes: Theme 1: The role of relationships, whanaungatanga and va in learning support; Theme 2: Adapting educational practices in clinical and self-directed contexts; Theme 3: Increased motivation to pursue nursing and developing a professional identity in uncertain times. The findings reveal the crucial role that peer support, culturally specific principles such as whanaungatanga and va, and creating an environment of belonging have in fostering resilience and academic success for becoming a nurse. The study found that online learning enabled continuity in the learning of theory, however, participants also faced challenges in adapting to online learning, particularly in the absence of hands-on clinical learning, which they identified as key in developing confidence and the application of theory to practice. Participants clearly experienced uncertainty regarding their skill level once clinical learning resumed. The participants expressed an increased motivation to be a nurse with the visibility of nurses as frontline heroes during the pandemic, strengthening their professional identity and supporting the mobilisation of their intrinsic power. Despite the uncertainty, students expressed a renewed sense of purpose and commitment to their future careers. The findings of this study emphasise the need for nursing programmes to enhance hybrid learning models by integrating online theory delivery, with in-person clinical training, preceptor guidance and collaborative learning opportunities to ensure comprehensive professional development. This study contributes to the growing body of research in nursing education during times of disruption, highlighting the need for hybrid learning to carefully balance online theory learning with rich in-person clinical and interactive learning opportunities. The findings highlight the interplay between cultural principles, educational adaptations and the development of professional identity. Recommendations are offered for fostering resilient and dynamic nursing students in the face of future disruptions.

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http://hdl.handle.net/10292/19182

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Masters Theses