ABSTRACT
Introduction: Acute psychological stress is commonly experienced by university students as they transition through a new learning environment; however, uncontrolled and long-term stress, such as that experienced due to the global respiratory pandemic, contributes to a severe decline in the physical and mental health of nursing students and decreases their academic success. The aim of this study was to investigate the experience of mental wellness as lived by nursing students and to understand how nursing students were coping with the impact of COVID-19. Methods: Individual interviews were used as a data collection method in this qualitative study, guided by descriptive phenomenology. Nursing students from two institutions in Western Canada were recruited in the fall of 2020. Interviews with six participants were recorded and transcribed verbatim. Meaning units from the data were transformed into a constituents table which resulted in a rich description of the essence of mental wellness as experienced by participants. Results: Key elements of the experience included: shifting support systems, disconnection, worry, sense of missing out, environmental stress and continual adaptation. The essence of the experience reflected on-going trauma. Discussion: This research highlighted the importance of acknowledging the persistent, collective trauma experienced by students and faculty alike due to the global pandemic. A trauma-informed approach to nursing education, where positive coping is modelled and a safe learning space is provided, will be required going forward.