The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia

Abstract

Introduction

COVID-19 created major disruptions worldwide, including significant effects on education. Nursing programs shifted rapidly to online learning and reduced clinical practice. These changes influenced student readiness, increased stress among educators and learners, and revealed the need for qualitative research to explore nurse educators’ lived experiences during the pandemic. Understanding these experiences supports improved preparedness for future health crises.

Objectives

To explore the impact of COVID-19 on nursing practice from nurse educators’ perspectives in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A qualitative phenomenological study was conducted among 20 clinical instructors and faculty members from a private college and a public university in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Data were collected using semistructured interviews. Transcripts were analyzed thematically following Braun and Clarke's (2021) six-step process.

Results

Thematic analysis of interview data from 20 nurse educators revealed four principal themes with 16 subthemes that described the impact of COVID-19 on nursing practice from participants’ lived experiences: (1) educational processes, (2) consequences on health, (3) precautions, and (4) future preparedness.

Conclusion

COVID-19 had multifaceted effects on nursing education and practice in Saudi Arabia, revealing significant challenges in educational delivery, health and wellbeing, and institutional preparedness. The findings call for enhanced pandemic preparedness in nursing education systems, including the development of crisis management committees, investment in hybrid learning infrastructure, strengthened mental health support, and systematic approaches to maintain educational quality during future crises. These insights inform policy and practice for building resilient nursing education systems capable of responding effectively to future pandemics.

Introduction

From its origins in Wuhan in 2019, COVID-19 rapidly proliferated worldwide (Dhama et al., 2020), and it was declared a global pandemic in March 2020 by the World Health Organization (Mahase, 2020). The healthcare sector was profoundly affected, not only because it cared for infected patients, but because its complex structure and workflows required substantial adaptation (Sun et al., 2021). The rapid spread of the virus demanded immediate responses that reshaped healthcare delivery and education.

During the early phase of the pandemic, limited evidence existed about how to eradicate or manage the disease. As a result, organizations relied on emergency strategies and evolving management measures (Hatami et al., 2022; Mahajan et al., 2023). One major adaptation was the transition to online platforms across education, business, and healthcare training. For nursing education, which depends heavily on hands-on clinical practice, this shift created unprecedented challenges (Kahriman & Işik, 2022).

Review of Literature

Nursing education faced unique and substantial challenges during the COVID-19 pandemic (Abou Hashish et al., 2022). Nurse educators had to rapidly adopt online operations while maintaining educational quality. At the same time, they needed to protect their own health and wellbeing. These educators were simultaneously managing curriculum delivery, supporting stressed students, and adapting assessment methods under unprecedented circumstances. Their experiences offer invaluable insights into how professional education systems respond to crises (Abou Hashish & Alnajjar, 2024).

The importance of clinical practice in healthcare settings for developing students’ competencies and readiness is well-documented. Agu et al. (2021) reported that hands-on clinical experiences are irreplaceable in nursing education. The pandemic's restrictions on physical access to clinical sites created significant educational gaps. Virtual alternatives, while innovative, could not fully replicate the tactile, interpersonal, and situational learning that occurs in authentic clinical environments. This limitation posed particular concerns for programs preparing entry-level practitioners who require direct patient care experience for licensure and competent practice.

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia responded swiftly to the COVID-19 pandemic through comprehensive technological and administrative interventions. The Saudi government, through the Saudi Data and Artificial Intelligence Authority (SDAIA), launched the Tawakkalna application to manage health data and control virus transmission. This digital transformation extended to educational institutions across the Kingdom, with universities and colleges rapidly transitioning to online platforms using systems such as Blackboard and Microsoft Teams, to ensure continuity of learning while complying with social distancing requirements (Abou Hashish & Alnajjar, 2024). Nursing education institutions in Saudi Arabia implemented various adaptive strategies during the pandemic. These included high-fidelity simulation laboratories, virtual clinical scenarios, and modified clinical placement protocols (Abou Hashish & Alnajjar, 2024).

Research examining COVID-19's impact on nursing education in Saudi Arabia has grown substantially. Several studies have assessed nurse educators’ attitudes and experiences regarding virtual learning effectiveness during the pandemic. However, these investigations have primarily employed quantitative methodologies (Almotairy et al., 2023; Alqahtani, 2024; Mansour et al., 2025). While these studies provided valuable statistical data on satisfaction levels, perceived effectiveness, and general attitudes, they did not capture the depth and richness of nurse educators’ lived experiences. The personal narratives, emotional impacts, coping mechanisms, and meaning-making processes of educators navigating this unprecedented crisis remained largely unexplored.

Conceptual Framework

This study was guided by a conceptual framework integrating crisis response theory and Lazarus and Folkman's (1985) transactional model of stress and coping. The framework recognizes that educational crises like COVID-19 create multifaceted stressors affecting educators at individual, institutional, and systemic levels. Educators’ responses involve cognitive appraisal of the situation, implementation of coping strategies (problem-focused and emotion-focused), and adaptation processes that ultimately influence educational outcomes, personal wellbeing, and future preparedness. This framework informed our phenomenological exploration by sensitizing us to the complex interplay between external crisis demands, internal coping resources, and the meaning educators construct from their experiences.

Research Gap and Study Significance

Despite the growing body of literature on COVID-19's impact on nursing education in Saudi Arabia, a critical gap remains: the lived experiences of nurse educators themselves have not been systematically explored through phenomenological inquiry. For instance, a cross-sectional investigation conducted by Almotairy et al. (2023) reported resource constraints and inadequate institutional support during the pandemic when clinical placements were restricted. However, this study did not explore the personal experiences of nurse educators from a phenomenological perspective; it did not delve into the essence of their lived reality, their struggles, adaptations, and the meaning they derived from their experiences. The limited phenomenological research in this context has focused on student rather than educator perspectives. Alsalamah et al. (2023) conducted a phenomenological study with Saudi undergraduate nursing students, revealing challenges related to online learning adaptation, technological barriers, and concerns about clinical competency development. Therefore, phenomenological inquiry is needed to understand how educators made sense of rapid changes, what meanings they attributed to their experiences, and how their professional identities and teaching philosophies were challenged or transformed.

Understanding nurse educators’ lived experiences is essential for several interconnected reasons. Educators hold unique insider knowledge about the practical challenges and successes of emergency educational transitions, which can inform evidence-based policy development for future crises. Their experiences provide crucial insights into the complex realities of maintaining educational quality while protecting student and educator wellbeing. Furthermore, their perspectives can identify systemic strengths and vulnerabilities in educational infrastructure, guide resource allocation, and shape professional development priorities.

This study employs phenomenological methodology to address these gaps by deeply exploring nurse educators’ lived experiences during COVID-19 in Saudi Arabia. Phenomenology, as a qualitative research approach, is particularly suited to understanding the essence and meaning of human experiences as they are lived. This methodology allows researchers to move beyond surface-level descriptions to uncover the deeper structures and meanings that shape how individuals experience and make sense of significant life events (Creswell & Poth, 2016). By focusing on nurse educators’ first-person accounts of navigating the pandemic, this research seeks to illuminate the complex realities of emergency educational transformation.

Study Aim

This study explored and described the lived experiences of nurse educators in Saudi Arabia regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on nursing practice and education.

Main Research Question

What are the lived experiences of nurse educators regarding the impact of COVID-19 on nursing practice in Saudi Arabia?

Methods

Study Design and Setting

This phenomenological study explored nurse educators’ lived experiences regarding COVID-19's impact on nursing practice and education in Saudi Arabia. Phenomenology was selected as the most appropriate methodological approach because it allows for deep exploration of how individuals perceive, interpret, and make meaning of their experiences during significant life events (Creswell & Poth, 2016). The study was conducted at one private college and one public university in the southern region of Saudi Arabia. Both institutions offer BSN programs and transitioned to online teaching during the pandemic, utilizing simulation laboratories and modified clinical placements with enhanced safety protocols.

Study Participants

Purposive sampling was employed to select participants who directly experienced teaching during COVID-19 and could articulate their experiences effectively. The final sample comprised 20 participants (12 from the private college and 8 from the public university). Saturation was evident after the 17th interview (Braun & Clarke, 2021). Potential participants were identified through nursing program directors. Interested individuals contacted the research team directly. Participation was voluntary with no incentives provided (Creswell & Poth, 2016).

Inclusion and Exclusion Criteria

Participants were eligible if they were employed as clinical instructors or faculty in nursing education, had direct involvement in clinical teaching during COVID-19 (March 2020–March 2021), were actively teaching during data collection, were proficient in English, were willing to participate, and had at least one semester of pandemic teaching experience. Exclusion criteria included being on leave during the pandemic, holding purely administrative positions, inability to provide informed consent, or language barriers.

Data Collection Instrument

Interview Approach

Data were collected through semistructured, in-depth interviews. An interview guide was developed by the researchers, based on the research objectives and the reviewed literature. The guide comprised five principal open-ended questions designed to elicit rich, detailed narratives. The first question asked how the COVID-19 outbreak was impacting nursing students and their clinical practices. The second question explored the difficulties or challenges that students and instructors faced during training. The third question examined what extra precautions nursing students and instructors should take to protect themselves and their patients. The fourth question investigated suggestions to overcome the influence of COVID-19 or a similar crisis in the future. The fifth question asked what had been learned from this experience and whether it would have a long-term effect on nursing practice in the future.

Each main question was accompanied by probing questions to encourage elaboration and deeper exploration of experiences. The interview guide was pilot tested with two nurse educators (not included in the final sample) to ensure clarity, comprehensiveness, and appropriate question flow. Minor refinements were made based on pilot feedback. The complete interview guide is provided as Supplemental File 1.

Interview Procedures

Interviews were conducted by three members of the research team, all of whom had experience in qualitative research methods. Prior to commencing interviews, all three interviewers participated in a training session to ensure consistency in interviewing approach, probing techniques, and adherence to the phenomenological stance of bracketing preconceptions.

Participants were given the option to choose the interview location and time to maximize comfort and convenience. Most interviews (N = 14) were conducted in private offices at participants’ workplaces during their free time or at the end of their shifts. Six interviews were conducted via secure video conferencing platforms (Zoom) at participants’ request, due to scheduling constraints or personal preference related to pandemic safety concerns.

All interviews were conducted in English, which is the medium of instruction and professional communication in nursing education in both participating institutions. When participants used Arabic terms or expressions to convey cultural or contextual nuances, these were noted and their meanings clarified during the interview. Interviews lasted between 40 and 60 min, with a mean duration of 48 min. All interviews were audio-recorded using digital recording devices after obtaining explicit permission from participants. To ensure data security, two recording devices were used simultaneously as backup. Participants were assured that recordings would be stored securely, accessible only to the research team, and destroyed after completion of the study and publication of findings.

Data Recording and Field Notes

In addition to audio recordings, interviewers maintained field notes documenting several aspects of each interview. These notes included nonverbal cues such as facial expressions, emotional responses, and pauses. They also captured contextual information about the interview setting. Additionally, interviewers recorded their initial impressions and emerging themes. Finally, methodological decisions and reflexive thoughts were documented. These field notes enriched the data and provided context for interpretation during analysis.

All interviews were transcribed verbatim by professional transcriptionists within 1 week of each interview to maintain the freshness and accuracy of the data. To protect the eidetic essence of participants’ experiences, transcriptions preserved the participants’ own language choices, emotional tones, and expressive patterns. Each transcript was reviewed by the interviewer who conducted that particular interview to verify accuracy and add any necessary contextual notes. Any identifying information in transcripts was replaced with pseudonyms or codes at this stage. Participant nurse educators (PNEs) were assigned codes (from PNE_1 to PNE_20).

To enhance credibility, member checking was employed. A summary of key themes and representative quotes was provided to each participant (N = 20) approximately 2 weeks after their interview. Participants were invited to review the summary, confirm accuracy, clarify any misinterpretations, and provide additional insights if desired. Seventeen participants provided feedback, all confirming that the summaries accurately represented their experiences. Three participants did not respond despite follow-up contact, and their data were retained as no concerns had been raised.

A COREQ checklist and the semistructured interview guide are provided as Supplemental Files 2.

Data Analysis

Data analysis followed Braun and Clarke's (2021) six-step thematic analysis process, which is well-suited to phenomenological inquiry as it allows for systematic identification of patterns of meaning while remaining flexible and reflexive. Each step is described in detail below.

Step One: Familiarization with the Data: All three researchers independently read and re-read all transcripts multiple times to achieve deep immersion in the data. During this phase, initial impressions, potential patterns, and areas of interest were noted. This repeated reading facilitated understanding of each participant's unique experience while beginning to identify commonalities across accounts.

Step Two: Generating Initial Codes: Line-by-line coding was conducted to identify meaningful units of text. Both inductive codes (emerging directly from the data) and deductive codes (derived from the research questions and literature) were employed. Coding was initially done manually using colored highlighters and marginal notes, then transferred to a coding framework. Examples of initial codes included “interrupted learning,” “fear of infection,” “technology barriers,” “simulation limitations,” “student anxiety,” “workload increase,” “institutional support,” “PPE concerns,” and “future planning needs.”

Step Three: Searching for Themes: Initial codes were collated and examined to identify broader patterns of meaning, which were potential themes. The research team met regularly to discuss emerging themes, compare interpretations, and achieve consensus. During the theme development process, the 147 initial codes were organized into 12 preliminary subthemes based on conceptual similarities and relationships.

Step Four: Reviewing and Defining Themes: Through iterative refinement and team consensus, these 12 subthemes were further synthesized into four main themes that captured the essential dimensions of nurse educators’ experiences: (1) educational processes, (2) consequences on health, (3) precautions, and (4) future preparedness.

Step five: Defining and Naming Themes: Themes were refined, merged, or split as necessary. The research team ensured that each theme was supported by sufficient data and captured something meaningful about the phenomenon. Each theme was given a clear definition and scope, and each main theme comprised multiple subthemes that captured nuanced aspects of the lived experience. The hierarchical progression from 147 codes to 12 subthemes, categorized under four main themes, ensured both comprehensive coverage of participants’ experiences and conceptual clarity in the final thematic framework. Each potential theme was systematically reviewed to ensure internal homogeneity (coherence within themes) and external heterogeneity (clear distinctions between themes).

Step six: Producing the Report: The final phase involved selecting compelling, representative examples to illustrate each theme and subtheme. The analysis was written up in a narrative format that conveyed both the essence of participants’ experiences and the analytical insights gained.

Trustworthiness and Rigor

To ensure the quality and credibility of this qualitative research, the study applied Lincoln and Guba's (1985) framework for establishing trustworthiness in qualitative research, including credibility, transferability, dependability, and confirmability, as described below.

The study ensured credibility through prolonged engagement in the field, member checking to verify the accuracy of participants’ accounts, peer debriefing among the research team to challenge assumptions, and triangulation across multiple data sources and researchers’ perspectives. Transferability was strengthened by providing thick and detailed descriptions of the context, participants, and findings, supported by purposive sampling that captured diverse experiences, and a fully documented methodology that allows replication in other settings. Dependability was maintained using a comprehensive audit trail of research decisions, methodological coherence between aims and procedures, and regular peer debriefing to ensure consistent application of analytical methods. Confirmability was supported by reflexive journaling to manage researcher bias, an audit trail linking interpretations to raw data, bracketing of preconceived notions, and verbatim transcription to preserve the authenticity and integrity of participants’ voices.

Ethical Considerations

Prior to commencing the study, formal approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board at [Al-Ghad International Colleges of Applied Medical Sciences (GIC) and King Khalid University] (Approval Number: ECM# 2021–4402]), and the research adhered to the Declaration of Helsinki and institutional ethical standards in all respects and processes. All participants received detailed information about the study purpose, procedures, voluntary participation, confidentiality, and their right to withdraw without consequence, before providing written informed consent. To protect privacy, each participant was assigned a unique code instead of using real names, and all data, including consent forms, audio recordings, and transcripts, were securely stored in locked cabinets and password-protected, encrypted files accessible only to the research team. De-identification processes were applied to remove any direct identifiers from transcripts, and pseudonyms or generic descriptors were used in place of personal information.

Results

Sample Characteristics

The sample included 20 staff members, consisting of 15 females (75%) and five males (25%), with an average age of 39 years. All participants were employed in educational institutions (as per the inclusion criteria), and the majority (N = 12, 60%) worked in the private sector, while the remainder (N = 8, 40%) worked in the public university. The largest proportion reported more than 10 years of professional experience (45%), and 40% held a doctoral degree. Further sociodemographic details are presented in Table 1.

Table 1.

Participants’ Sociodemographic Characteristics.

	No	Percent
Age (average)	39 years (mean)
Gender
Male	5	25
Female	15	75
Nationality
Saudi	18	90
Non-Saudi	2	10
Education level
Bachelor	6	30
Master	6	30
PhD	8	40
Role
Instructor	6	30
Lecturer	6	30
Faculty member	8	40
Workplace
Private college	12	60
Public university	8	40
Work experience
< 5 years	7	35
5–10 years	4	20
> 10 years	9	45

Identified Themes

Thematic analysis of the interview data revealed four main themes that captured the multifaceted impact of COVID-19 on nursing education and practice, as perceived by nurse educators in the studied settings. The first theme, “Educational Processes,” encompasses the challenges and disruptions to teaching, learning, and assessment during the pandemic, including four subthemes: unfulfilled educational outcomes and clinical competencies, student assessment challenges, inadequate communication, and technology barriers. The second theme, “Consequences on Health,” addresses the physical, psychological, emotional, and social impacts experienced by both educators and students, along with coping strategies employed. The third theme, “Precautions,” describes the infection prevention measures, personal protection protocols, and screening procedures implemented during the pandemic. The fourth theme, “Future Preparedness,” focuses on adjustments made in response to the pandemic, education transformation initiatives, investment in nursing, and strategic recommendations for future crises.

These themes and their subthemes are presented in Table 2, and are described below with representative excerpts from interview data. Additional supporting participant quotations can be seen in Supplemental File 3.

Table 2.

Summary of Emerged Themes and Subthemes.

Themes	Subthemes
Educational processes	Unfulfilled educational outcomes and clinical competencies
	Student assessment
	Inadequate communication
	Technology challenges
Consequences on health	Physical impact
	Psychological impacts (stress, anxiety, depression, and fear of infection)
	Emotional impact
	Social impact
	Coping strategies and self and family protection
Precautions	Infection prevention and awareness programs
	Personal protection
	Screening
Future preparedness	Adjusting to the pandemic
	Education transformation
	Investing in nursing
	Recommendations

Theme 1: Educational Processes

COVID-19 impacted the educational process through four subthemes. The first subtheme is the unfulfilled educational outcomes and clinical competencies. The movement of nursing education programs to online platforms has created a new problem. Students who normally learned together on campus, who met with their lecturers or instructors, and worked in groups, had to quickly cope with the challenges of attending classes virtually from home. At the same time, they had to learn and adapt to different platforms such as Google Classroom, Dashboard, Zoom, and Moodle that interrupted the educational system and influenced the students’ outcomes, as noted in the following excerpt:

“…the COVID-19 pandemic has created some interruptions in the education system, especially in the first phase.” Another participant explained that “training was shifted into online… [thereby reducing] hands-on skills, efficient acquisition of the necessary skills, learning retention, spirit of competition, and communication…” (PNE_6)

The second subtheme is the students’ assessment. The delivery of content online introduced innovative methods of assessments and some anxiety in students, as virtual assessments are new. In online learning, assessments are often carried out online, whereby faculty members or instructors are limited to proxy supervision of learners, making it impossible to regulate and control cheating. This was a new experience for educators in this study, one of whom noted the:

“…inability to accurately assess students’ skills (assessment)…” (PNE_4)

The third subtheme is inadequate communication. The majority of students had been using their mobile phones for access to learning, so the type and capacity of the device were a problem that influenced communication and follow up with students during online teaching. This shift also caused an interruption in the way students’ socialization occurred, creating communication problems between educators and students, and among students themselves, causing.

“…difficult communication and lack of students’ motivation to learn…” (PNE_20)

Lastly, there were technology challenges. Many students lived in distant geographical areas, with limited or no access to the internet. Some had inadequate financial resources, did not own the required textbooks, depended heavily on campus libraries, and did not own computers. Students may have used their mobile phones for access to learning, but the quality of this experience was hampered for those who had problems due to insufficient memory space to download the platforms used for e-learning content delivery during the pandemic. In addition, the battery life of their devices was also noted as a limitation (PNE_20).

Theme 2: Consequences on Health

Five subthemes were noted under the impact of COVID-19 on nursing education under this theme. The first subtheme was the physical impact. The participants noted that direct exposure to COVID-19 infection caused them to experience fear. Moreover, it was noted that shifting learning to online platforms also affected the learners’ health, with one respondent explaining that:

“…most of the students’ circadian rhythms have been changed, affecting their rest and sleep cycles…” (PNE_6)

This subtheme relates to the second, concerning psychological effects. Psychological impacts reported by participants included cases of stress, anxiety, depression, and fear of infection. Respondents noted that there were high cases of psychological anxiety, stress, depression, and fear of the possibility of getting an infection. Additionally, some of them experienced distress due to the regular learning program being tampered with due to pandemic measures (i.e., the sudden shift to online learning).

The third and fourth subthemes were emotional and social impacts. Regarding the emotional impact, the learners felt some sense of uncertainty due to their unmet expectations:

“…use of technology is good, but technology is not sensitive to pick up emotional aspects of students…” (PNE_5)

The social domain affected how learners interacted. Shifting to online programs made the learners isolated and atomized, with some learners developing fear about subsequently attending “real” classes.

Lastly, participants described coping strategies and self and family protection measures. Participants reported that some learners lacked adequate skills to protect themselves from potential infections. As one educator noted, inadequate awareness and insufficient coping strategies affected learners’ ability to protect themselves during the pandemic. Several participants mentioned concerns about their limited ability to ensure learner safety given the physical distance imposed by online learning.

Theme 3: Precautions

Various COVID-19 precautions affected nursing education, as per the three subthemes of infection prevention and awareness programs, personal protection, and screening.

Both learners and educators were exposed to many infection prevention programs and measures, including regular training in awareness, modes of transmission, and precautionary measures (e.g., hand washing, mask-wearing, social distancing, cough etiquette, avoiding touching surfaces and contact with anyone with respiratory symptoms, not sharing personal items, and avoiding crowded areas). Some participants attributed such behaviors to traditional beliefs and etiquette:

“…there was also the application of Islam's teachings, such as ‘No harm’ and love for one another, which helped learners take precautions not to cause infections to others…” (PNE_2)

Additionally, the members of nursing education learned about the precautionary apps that informed them about the COVID-19 areas.

There were also the concepts of personal protection and screening, which emerged with COVID-19 affecting nursing education. Personal protection practices were also introduced, such as physical distancing and keeping the learners away from each other by redesigning the teaching timetable. Also, there were regular screening exercises to identify those who could be carrying the symptoms.

Theme 4: Future Preparedness

Various measures were put in place to deal with the pandemic that had become the new norm in every community. Four subthemes were noted under preparedness, including adjusting to the pandemic, education transformation, investing in nursing, and recommendations.

In terms of adjusting to the pandemic, various schemes and approaches came up, including disaster management programs, adjusting the operating health protocols, developing regular training programs, and establishing a crisis resolution committee in the nursing education sector to help manage such occurrences in the future. There were also measures in the education transformation. One participant indicated that there were imperative measures to:

“…improve staff and students’ competencies in e-learning and non-traditional educational methods to overcome its disadvantages…” (PNE_11)

These measures were intended to help to maintain learning practices without significant interruptions witnessed during the case of COVID-19. The other subtheme was investing in nursing. There were various measures taken to improve nursing by recognizing and giving more support to the profession.

The last subtheme under this theme of future preparedness is recommendations. The respondents raised many recommendations as measures that would help deal with similar future crises. Such recommendations include having disaster outbreak plans, strengthening occupational health and safety, making alternative educational plans (such as online platforms in readiness), and having continuous and regular workshops about nursing core competencies. As one participant recommended:

“…preparing alternative educational plans in advance to be applied in similar situations as the pandemic will have a long-term effect on nursing practice in the future, which will change the face of nursing education…” (PNE_9)

Discussion

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of nurse educators in Saudi Arabia regarding the impact of COVID-19 on nursing practice and education. Through in-depth interviews with 20 nurse educators, the study identified four major themes that illuminate the multifaceted challenges, adaptations, and insights gained during this unprecedented period. The findings revealed significant disruptions to educational processes, substantial health consequences for both educators and students, critical precautionary measures implemented to ensure safety, and essential considerations for future preparedness. These findings contribute to the limited phenomenological literature on nurse educators’ experiences during the pandemic and provide valuable insights for strengthening nursing education systems’ resilience in the face of future health crises. This section interprets these findings in the context of existing literature and considers their implications for nursing education policy and practice.

Theme 1: Educational Processes

Nurse educators in this study reported that COVID-19 significantly disrupted educational processes, as manifest in unfulfilled educational outcomes and compromised clinical competencies. Participants described how the rapid shift to online learning platforms created immediate challenges in achieving curriculum objectives. This finding aligns with Agu et al. (2021), who documented similar disruptions in nursing education globally, noting that the inability to provide hands-on clinical experiences threatened the development of essential nursing skills.

Participants expressed concerns about lost learning time and the inability to meet accreditation standards as education shifted online. They reported that students struggled to adapt to various platforms such as Google Classroom, Zoom, and Moodle, which interrupted the learning process. These experiences mirror findings by Leaver et al. (2022), who documented that emergency remote teaching resulted in fragmented learning experiences and concerns about professional readiness among nursing students.

Nurse educators in this study highlighted significant assessment challenges, expressing concerns about students’ readiness for licensure examinations and clinical practice. Participants reported difficulties in evaluating practical skills remotely and concerns about academic integrity during online assessments. These findings are consistent with Parsons Leigh et al. (2020), who reported similar assessment challenges in nursing education and emphasized the need for innovative evaluation methods that maintain standards while adapting to online formats.

Theme 2: Consequences on Health

Participants described profound health consequences for both students and educators. They reported widespread fear of COVID-19 infection, particularly given nursing students’ exposure during clinical placements. Educators expressed concerns about their students’ physical safety and their own vulnerability to infection. This finding is supported by Sun et al. (2021), who documented elevated fear and anxiety among healthcare workers and students during the pandemic, noting that the constant threat of infection created sustained psychological distress.

Educators in this study reported observing increased psychological distress among students, including stress, anxiety, depression, and fear of infection. They noted that students struggled with the dual burden of adapting to online learning while managing pandemic-related fears. These observations align with Alshloul et al. (2025), who documented elevated mental health concerns among nursing students during COVID-19, emphasizing the compounding effects of educational disruption and health threats.

Participants described how the loss of face-to-face interaction affected students’ emotional and social wellbeing. Educators reported that students felt isolated and disconnected from their peers and instructors, which compounded their stress during an already difficult period. This finding resonates with Overbaugh et al. (2022) and Song et al. (2024), who documented how social isolation during the pandemic negatively impacted nursing students’ sense of belonging and professional identity development.

Educators observed that students employed various coping strategies to manage pandemic stresses, though with varying degrees of success. Participants noted that some students lacked adequate coping skills, which affected their ability to protect themselves and maintain wellbeing. This confirms the finding of Abou Hashish and Atalla (2023) that diverse coping mechanisms were used among nursing students during COVID-19, with problem-focused and emotion-focused strategies playing important roles in adaptation to related stressors.

Theme 3: Precautions

Participants described comprehensive precautionary measures implemented to reduce COVID-19 transmission risk. Educators reported that infection prevention programs, including training on hand hygiene, mask use, physical distancing, and screening protocols, became integral to nursing education. These findings align with Shi et al. (2020), who documented the critical role of infection prevention and control measures in healthcare educational settings during the pandemic.

Educators in this study noted that Islamic teachings, particularly principles of “no harm” and caring for others, served as ethical motivators for responsible behavior during the pandemic. This cultural-religious dimension represents a contextually unique finding that reflects the Saudi Arabian setting, where Islamic values influence professional practice and educational approaches.

Participants reported that collaborative programs, such as the “Nurse Assist Program,” helped students gain practical knowledge while minimizing infection risks. These innovative approaches enabled continued learning about infection prevention practices in safer environments, demonstrating adaptive strategies that maintained educational continuity while prioritizing safety.

Theme 4: Future Preparedness

Educators emphasized the need for enhanced future preparedness in nursing education systems. Participants called for crisis management committees, emergency response protocols, and contingency plans for educational disruption. This finding resonates with recent literature advocating for systematic pandemic preparedness in healthcare education (Parsons Leigh et al., 2020), highlighting the importance of institutional readiness for future public health emergencies.

Participants identified the need for educational transformation, including investment in hybrid learning infrastructure, improved technology access, and enhanced digital literacy training. Educators advocated for permanent integration of effective online teaching strategies developed during the pandemic, suggesting that the crisis revealed opportunities for educational innovation alongside its challenges.

Finally, educators stressed the importance of investing in nurses’ safety, occupational health, and psychological wellbeing. They called for strengthened mental health support systems, recognition of pandemic-related stresses, and resources to help nursing students and educators maintain resilience during crises.

Strengths and Limitations

Several limitations should be considered when interpreting these findings. First, the study was conducted in one region of Saudi Arabia with 20 participants from two institutions, which limits transferability to other and general contexts. Second, data were collected retrospectively in March 2021, approximately one year after the pandemic's onset, which may have been subject to recall bias. Third, all participants were currently employed educators who continued working through the pandemic; the perspectives of those who left the profession are not represented. Fourth, the study focused exclusively on educators’ perspectives; future research should incorporate students’, administrators’, and clinical partners’ viewpoints for a comprehensive understanding. Finally, as a phenomenological study, the findings emphasize depth and meaning over generalizability, providing rich insights into lived experiences rather than statistical generalizations.

Implications of the Study

Implications for Clinical Practice

Healthcare institutions serving as learning sites must formalize protocols for accommodating students during health crises. Innovative practice models (e.g., dedicated teaching units and structured preceptorship programs) can maximize learning within constrained timeframes. Crisis management teams should include educational representatives to ensure student learning needs are integrated into institutional pandemic planning. Rigorous safety protocols and adequate personal protective equipment for students must be non-negotiable standards.

Implications for Nursing Education

Nursing programs must develop dual-mode curricula capable of seamless transition between face-to-face and online delivery. Investment in simulation laboratories and virtual platforms should be prioritized as permanent infrastructure. The assessment challenges identified necessitate developing authentic evaluation methods for virtual environments that maintain academic integrity. Educator support systems addressing technological competency and psychological wellbeing should be integral program components rather than ancillary and quixotic crisis responses.

Conclusion

This phenomenological study explored the lived experiences of nurse educators in Saudi Arabia during the COVID-19 pandemic, revealing profound impacts on educational processes, health consequences, precautionary measures, and future preparedness needs. Despite facing numerous challenges and stressors in their roles, nurse educators demonstrated remarkable resilience by providing social and emotional support to students, colleagues, and their communities. The findings provide valuable insights into nurse educators’ perspectives on pandemic preparedness and response, highlighting their essential roles in maintaining educational quality during crises. These insights demonstrate the critical importance of involving nurse educators in designing, implementing, and monitoring institution-based guidelines and health promotional activities. The study's findings have important implications for future practice, suggesting that improved pandemic preparedness will enable nursing education systems to respond to future events with greater confidence and reduced stress and uncertainty.

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-1-son-10.1177_23779608261443907 - Supplemental material for The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia

Supplemental material, sj-docx-1-son-10.1177_23779608261443907 for The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia by Mohammad N. Al-Shloul, Mesheil M. Alalyani, Izzeddin A. Bdair, Roqia S. Maabreh and Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish, Hekmat Y. Al-Akash, Doha M. Alshloul, Nazzal M. Al-Shloul in SAGE Open Nursing

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-2-son-10.1177_23779608261443907 - Supplemental material for The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia

Supplemental material, sj-docx-2-son-10.1177_23779608261443907 for The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia by Mohammad N. Al-Shloul, Mesheil M. Alalyani, Izzeddin A. Bdair, Roqia S. Maabreh and Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish, Hekmat Y. Al-Akash, Doha M. Alshloul, Nazzal M. Al-Shloul in SAGE Open Nursing

Supplemental Material

sj-docx-3-son-10.1177_23779608261443907 - Supplemental material for The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia

Supplemental material, sj-docx-3-son-10.1177_23779608261443907 for The Impact of COVID-19 on Nursing Practice From Nurse Educators’ Perspectives: A Phenomenology Study in Saudi Arabia by Mohammad N. Al-Shloul, Mesheil M. Alalyani, Izzeddin A. Bdair, Roqia S. Maabreh and Ebtsam Aly Abou Hashish, Hekmat Y. Al-Akash, Doha M. Alshloul, Nazzal M. Al-Shloul in SAGE Open Nursing