Nursing Faculty Experiences Transitioning to a Virtual DNP Residency During COVID-19.

BACKGROUND: The COVID-19 pandemic created many academic challenges. Shelter in place orders forced educational institutions to move on-ground learning to an online format. This necessitated transitioning traditional in-person events such as nursing residency to a virtual occurrence. Currently, there is a paucity of research to assist with transition to the virtual environment. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study was to explore faculty experiences transitioning to a virtual Doctor of Nursing Practice residency. METHODS: A qualitative descriptive design was used to explore faculty experiences with virtual residency. The sample included 11 nursing faculty. Data collection consisted of answering demographic and open-ended questions through an anonymous survey. RESULTS: Content analysis revealed two themes: (1) Essence of Residency was Missing and (2) Virtual Residency was an Acceptable Alternative. CONCLUSION: Based on these themes, recommendations for virtual residency improvement were identified that would be beneficial to both faculty and students, providing a better environment and enhanced virtual experience. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING: Results from this research begin building a foundation of knowledge for best practices when creating an academic nursing virtual event. Recommendations focus on ways to form a better virtual community, promote a relaxed scholarly environment, and uphold academic standards.

Exploring Student Perceptions of a Virtual Practicum.

BACKGROUND: The coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic has disrupted and overwhelmed academia, adding many new challenges for nursing faculty. However, despite these challenges, nursing faculty at a small private university demonstrated resilience and innovation at the height of the acute phase of the crisis, transforming a traditional 2-day in-person Doctor of Nursing Practice (DNP) practicum to an abbreviated, interactive virtual format. METHOD: A qualitative study was conducted to explore DNP student perceptions of the virtual practicum. An anonymous survey was created to gather participant feedback; the link was embedded in an email invitation to practicum participants. RESULTS: The majority of respondents were English speaking, middle-aged, Black, non-Hispanic nurse practitioners. Content analysis revealed three themes: valuable interactions, supportive faculty, and enlightening feedback. CONCLUSION: Despite the crisis and ensuing consequences of the pandemic, DNP students who participated in the virtual practicum described a meaningful and valuable experience. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(9):513-516.].