Participants’ demographic data.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused several higher educational institutions to switch from traditional face-to-face to virtual learning medium. This abrupt shift came with new expectations, experiences and challenges to nursing/ midwifery students, particularly new users, and even more so when preparation, orientation, and support were lacking or ineffective. The present study therefore aimed at exploring the expectations, experiences and challenges of nursing students using the virtual learning medium during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis was a descriptive phenomenological design using 12 purposively sampled nursing and midwifery students from a public university in Ghana. With the aid of a semi-structured guide, individual face-to-face interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim at a later time and deductively analyzed into themes using the customer experience execution model.ResultsParticipants were aged 22–36 years and involved equal number of males and females (n = 6), with majority being Christians (n = 11). Six themes were generated from the study: (1) “Initial thoughts and emotions” described participants initial reactions to the virtual educational medium during the pandemic; (2) "Expectations with the virtual medium" referred to the participants’ anticipations regarding the convenience offered by the virtual medium; (3) "Experiences with the virtual medium" depicted the participants’ recognition of both positive and negative encounters while using the virtual learning platform; (4) “Evaluation and recommendation” described participants’ reports of meeting expectations and recommendations they made to enhance virtual learning; (5) "Challenges and limitations of the virtual medium" typically represented the obstacles encountered by nursing/ midwifery students when they embraced the virtual medium; (6) “Prospects of the virtual medium” referred to participants’ views on the future of the virtual medium.ConclusionThe study has brought to light that the virtual education environment comes with its own expectations, experiences and challenges to students. Provision of adequate support such as orientation and simulation laboratories by higher education institutions to satisfy students’ needs is necessary to enhance nursing education.</div

Diagrammatic representation of study themes and subthemes.

(Main themes are represented by numbers (1–5) and corresponding subthemes are represented by alphabets under each main theme.</p

Stages of Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological analysis.

Stages of Colaizzi’s descriptive phenomenological analysis.</p

Interview guide.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused several higher educational institutions to switch from traditional face-to-face to virtual learning medium. This abrupt shift came with new expectations, experiences and challenges to nursing/ midwifery students, particularly new users, and even more so when preparation, orientation, and support were lacking or ineffective. The present study therefore aimed at exploring the expectations, experiences and challenges of nursing students using the virtual learning medium during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis was a descriptive phenomenological design using 12 purposively sampled nursing and midwifery students from a public university in Ghana. With the aid of a semi-structured guide, individual face-to-face interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim at a later time and deductively analyzed into themes using the customer experience execution model.ResultsParticipants were aged 22–36 years and involved equal number of males and females (n = 6), with majority being Christians (n = 11). Six themes were generated from the study: (1) “Initial thoughts and emotions” described participants initial reactions to the virtual educational medium during the pandemic; (2) "Expectations with the virtual medium" referred to the participants’ anticipations regarding the convenience offered by the virtual medium; (3) "Experiences with the virtual medium" depicted the participants’ recognition of both positive and negative encounters while using the virtual learning platform; (4) “Evaluation and recommendation” described participants’ reports of meeting expectations and recommendations they made to enhance virtual learning; (5) "Challenges and limitations of the virtual medium" typically represented the obstacles encountered by nursing/ midwifery students when they embraced the virtual medium; (6) “Prospects of the virtual medium” referred to participants’ views on the future of the virtual medium.ConclusionThe study has brought to light that the virtual education environment comes with its own expectations, experiences and challenges to students. Provision of adequate support such as orientation and simulation laboratories by higher education institutions to satisfy students’ needs is necessary to enhance nursing education.</div

Interview transcript.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused several higher educational institutions to switch from traditional face-to-face to virtual learning medium. This abrupt shift came with new expectations, experiences and challenges to nursing/ midwifery students, particularly new users, and even more so when preparation, orientation, and support were lacking or ineffective. The present study therefore aimed at exploring the expectations, experiences and challenges of nursing students using the virtual learning medium during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis was a descriptive phenomenological design using 12 purposively sampled nursing and midwifery students from a public university in Ghana. With the aid of a semi-structured guide, individual face-to-face interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim at a later time and deductively analyzed into themes using the customer experience execution model.ResultsParticipants were aged 22–36 years and involved equal number of males and females (n = 6), with majority being Christians (n = 11). Six themes were generated from the study: (1) “Initial thoughts and emotions” described participants initial reactions to the virtual educational medium during the pandemic; (2) "Expectations with the virtual medium" referred to the participants’ anticipations regarding the convenience offered by the virtual medium; (3) "Experiences with the virtual medium" depicted the participants’ recognition of both positive and negative encounters while using the virtual learning platform; (4) “Evaluation and recommendation” described participants’ reports of meeting expectations and recommendations they made to enhance virtual learning; (5) "Challenges and limitations of the virtual medium" typically represented the obstacles encountered by nursing/ midwifery students when they embraced the virtual medium; (6) “Prospects of the virtual medium” referred to participants’ views on the future of the virtual medium.ConclusionThe study has brought to light that the virtual education environment comes with its own expectations, experiences and challenges to students. Provision of adequate support such as orientation and simulation laboratories by higher education institutions to satisfy students’ needs is necessary to enhance nursing education.</div

The customer experience execution model.

BackgroundThe COVID-19 pandemic caused several higher educational institutions to switch from traditional face-to-face to virtual learning medium. This abrupt shift came with new expectations, experiences and challenges to nursing/ midwifery students, particularly new users, and even more so when preparation, orientation, and support were lacking or ineffective. The present study therefore aimed at exploring the expectations, experiences and challenges of nursing students using the virtual learning medium during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsThis was a descriptive phenomenological design using 12 purposively sampled nursing and midwifery students from a public university in Ghana. With the aid of a semi-structured guide, individual face-to-face interviews were audiotaped, transcribed verbatim at a later time and deductively analyzed into themes using the customer experience execution model.ResultsParticipants were aged 22–36 years and involved equal number of males and females (n = 6), with majority being Christians (n = 11). Six themes were generated from the study: (1) “Initial thoughts and emotions” described participants initial reactions to the virtual educational medium during the pandemic; (2) "Expectations with the virtual medium" referred to the participants’ anticipations regarding the convenience offered by the virtual medium; (3) "Experiences with the virtual medium" depicted the participants’ recognition of both positive and negative encounters while using the virtual learning platform; (4) “Evaluation and recommendation” described participants’ reports of meeting expectations and recommendations they made to enhance virtual learning; (5) "Challenges and limitations of the virtual medium" typically represented the obstacles encountered by nursing/ midwifery students when they embraced the virtual medium; (6) “Prospects of the virtual medium” referred to participants’ views on the future of the virtual medium.ConclusionThe study has brought to light that the virtual education environment comes with its own expectations, experiences and challenges to students. Provision of adequate support such as orientation and simulation laboratories by higher education institutions to satisfy students’ needs is necessary to enhance nursing education.</div

Sociodemographic characteristics of participants.

BackgroundPregnant women are among the most vulnerable and suffer the most during pandemics, according to earlier studies. Pregnant women had to seek healthcare for both themselves and their unborn child(ren) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was unprecedented. Pregnant women’s psychosocial experiences during pandemics are crucial since they both directly and indirectly affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth. The study therefore sought to explore the psychosocial experiences of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this retrospective qualitative study, 15 nursing mothers who were attending a postnatal clinic at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) hospital in Ghana were recruited. Individual interviews were conducted with mothers who were pregnant between March and December 2020. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed into themes.ResultsNursing mothers were aged 25–30 years and had infants ranging from 5 months to 15 months. Thirteen (13) were married and two were single. Two (2) major themes and five (5) subthemes emerged from the study. The unpleasant feelings connected to the potential for contracting COVID-19 and experiencing stress were described by the theme, “Fear and Stress”. Participants’ social experiences (support from significant others), alterations in daily routine and the economic impact because of the pandemic were presented as the “Socioeconomic impact”.ConclusionPregnant women go through several challenges during pregnancy such as perceived stress and anxiety. These are likely to heighten during a pandemic, as presented in the study. They therefore need emotional and psychosocial support in such uncertain times to improve outcomes of pregnancy.</div

Interview guide.

BackgroundPregnant women are among the most vulnerable and suffer the most during pandemics, according to earlier studies. Pregnant women had to seek healthcare for both themselves and their unborn child(ren) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was unprecedented. Pregnant women’s psychosocial experiences during pandemics are crucial since they both directly and indirectly affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth. The study therefore sought to explore the psychosocial experiences of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this retrospective qualitative study, 15 nursing mothers who were attending a postnatal clinic at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) hospital in Ghana were recruited. Individual interviews were conducted with mothers who were pregnant between March and December 2020. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed into themes.ResultsNursing mothers were aged 25–30 years and had infants ranging from 5 months to 15 months. Thirteen (13) were married and two were single. Two (2) major themes and five (5) subthemes emerged from the study. The unpleasant feelings connected to the potential for contracting COVID-19 and experiencing stress were described by the theme, “Fear and Stress”. Participants’ social experiences (support from significant others), alterations in daily routine and the economic impact because of the pandemic were presented as the “Socioeconomic impact”.ConclusionPregnant women go through several challenges during pregnancy such as perceived stress and anxiety. These are likely to heighten during a pandemic, as presented in the study. They therefore need emotional and psychosocial support in such uncertain times to improve outcomes of pregnancy.</div

Themes and subthemes.

BackgroundPregnant women are among the most vulnerable and suffer the most during pandemics, according to earlier studies. Pregnant women had to seek healthcare for both themselves and their unborn child(ren) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was unprecedented. Pregnant women’s psychosocial experiences during pandemics are crucial since they both directly and indirectly affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth. The study therefore sought to explore the psychosocial experiences of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this retrospective qualitative study, 15 nursing mothers who were attending a postnatal clinic at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) hospital in Ghana were recruited. Individual interviews were conducted with mothers who were pregnant between March and December 2020. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed into themes.ResultsNursing mothers were aged 25–30 years and had infants ranging from 5 months to 15 months. Thirteen (13) were married and two were single. Two (2) major themes and five (5) subthemes emerged from the study. The unpleasant feelings connected to the potential for contracting COVID-19 and experiencing stress were described by the theme, “Fear and Stress”. Participants’ social experiences (support from significant others), alterations in daily routine and the economic impact because of the pandemic were presented as the “Socioeconomic impact”.ConclusionPregnant women go through several challenges during pregnancy such as perceived stress and anxiety. These are likely to heighten during a pandemic, as presented in the study. They therefore need emotional and psychosocial support in such uncertain times to improve outcomes of pregnancy.</div

Interview transcript.

BackgroundPregnant women are among the most vulnerable and suffer the most during pandemics, according to earlier studies. Pregnant women had to seek healthcare for both themselves and their unborn child(ren) in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, which was unprecedented. Pregnant women’s psychosocial experiences during pandemics are crucial since they both directly and indirectly affect the course of pregnancy and childbirth. The study therefore sought to explore the psychosocial experiences of pregnant women during the COVID-19 pandemic.MethodsIn this retrospective qualitative study, 15 nursing mothers who were attending a postnatal clinic at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) hospital in Ghana were recruited. Individual interviews were conducted with mothers who were pregnant between March and December 2020. The audio-recorded interviews were transcribed verbatim and inductively analysed into themes.ResultsNursing mothers were aged 25–30 years and had infants ranging from 5 months to 15 months. Thirteen (13) were married and two were single. Two (2) major themes and five (5) subthemes emerged from the study. The unpleasant feelings connected to the potential for contracting COVID-19 and experiencing stress were described by the theme, “Fear and Stress”. Participants’ social experiences (support from significant others), alterations in daily routine and the economic impact because of the pandemic were presented as the “Socioeconomic impact”.ConclusionPregnant women go through several challenges during pregnancy such as perceived stress and anxiety. These are likely to heighten during a pandemic, as presented in the study. They therefore need emotional and psychosocial support in such uncertain times to improve outcomes of pregnancy.</div