Navigating Spaces of Belonging: Undergraduate Nursing Students' Experiences in Online Learning Environments.

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to explore undergraduate nursing students' experiences of belonging while studying online during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background: The use of online learning platforms increased drastically during the pandemic. Limited research exists on nursing students' experiences of belonging while studying online.

Method: An explanatory sequential mixed-methods design was used for this study. This article reports on phase two, the qualitative component, which employed interpretive description methodology to understand nursing students' experiences.

Results: Ten semistructured interviews were completed, and four themes were identified: factors contributing to students' sense of belonging online, navigating the online learning environment, creating safe online spaces during times of uncertainty, and students' vision of developing a sense of belonging online.

Conclusion: Fostering nursing students' sense of belonging is critical to their retention, persistence, and overall academic success when learning online.