Nursing Faculty Shortage Impact on Nursing Students: A Descriptive Phenomenological Study

Abstract

Background: The nursing education sector has felt the impact of the shortage of nursing clinical instructors (CI) or faculty members. This phenomenon became more profound with the pandemic experience along with the global shortage of nurses in the hospitals. Objective: The study was conducted to explore the lived experiences on learning among undergraduate nursing students in a higher education institution amidst the nursing faculty shortage. Methods: The study was undertaken using a descriptive phenomenological design with seven informants, using Colaizzi’s approach for data analysis. Findings: The findings of the study generated three main themes: disruptions in the learning process and platforms, responses to learning disruptions, and learners’ call to action. It uncovered substantial disruptions in scheduled lectures, activities, and clinical rotations due to the nursing faculty shortage. Conclusion: The findings underscore the critical need for immediate and comprehensive measures to address the nursing faculty shortage. Despite compensatory efforts by the institution, the impact on learning experience remains significant. This study calls for prompt and effective strategies to rectify the nursing faculty shortage, ensuring optimal learning experiences for student nurses.