Nursing Students’ and Faculty Perspectives: Challenges and Insights into Digital Classes during Pandemic − Qualitative Study

Introduction: The pedagogical transition from traditional to distance learning is a challenge for nursing education during the pandemic in India, since the faculty and students were not exposed to the virtual classes. Methods: Qualitative research examined faculty and students’ perspectives on the challenges and insights into digital classes during the pandemic. Convenient sampling was employed to gather qualitative data from the diploma, undergraduate, or postgraduate program students who had experienced digital classes during the pandemic. Six focus group interviews were done with a total of 32 nursing students and 14 faculty after obtaining consent, each session lasting between 1.5 and 2 h. The data were analyzed using thematic analysis, following Braun and Clarke’s (2012) six-phase analytical process. Results: The major themes created through students’ perspectives were (1) closing the educational divide: bridging the gap with E-technology, (2) exposed to different approaches of teaching–learning, (3) challenges and technological glitches in the digital classroom, (4) expression of dissatisfaction, (5) struggling with self-motivation, and (6) environmental influences. The major themes created through faculty perspectives were (1) escalating workload: navigating increased demands, (2) enhanced technology proficiency: gaining improved access, (3) discipline concerns, (4) improved methods of teaching, (5) lack of clinical learning, and (6) need for a special platform. Subthemes were also reported, along with the major themes. Conclusion: This study concluded that digital classes were very convenient and beneficial during the pandemic. Both groups of respondents stressed the challenges that need to be focused on to fill the gap in the future.