WhatsApp as a support strategy for emergency nursing students during the COVID‑19 pandemic

Abstract

Thirty-four registered nurses enrolled for the postgraduate emergency nursing programme at the Department of Nursing Science at a university in South Africa (SA), starting in February 2020. The programme consists of a theoretical and a practical component. Typically, learning and teaching occur through face-to-face contact for four hours per week in the classroom, and work-integrated learning (WIL) comprises 32 hours per week. The lecturer and clinical facilitators accompany students in an emergency department for at least three hours per week for ~28 academic weeks. Students have specific clinical learning outcomes to master during the WIL. On 15 March 2020, the SA Government declared a national state of emergency in respect of the COVID‑19 pandemic. Tertiary education activities came to a halt and face-to-face contact was replaced with online activities – a new challenge for both students and lecturer.