Experience of Nursing Interns during COVID-19 in Taif University, Saudi Arabia: A Qualitative Study

Introduction: Coronavirus Disease-2019 (COVID-19) has affected nursing staff and students mentally and physically due to their role in the frontline fighting the virus. However, data on the effect of COVID-19 on nursing students are limited and there have been no studies about Saudi nursing intern experience during this crisis. Aim: To explore the impact of COVID-19 pandemic on nursing students during their interns at hospitals and how they dealt with the COVID-19 pandemic. Materials and Methods: A qualitative descriptive study was done where 12 interviews were conducted among nursing student at the Nursing Department in the College of Applied Medical Science at Taif University, Taif, Saudi Arabia. The study was conducted from 1st January 2021 to 10th April 2021. The descriptive method was used to collect, understand, organise and represent in depth data. All the nursing student participants were interns and started their intern programmes during the COVID-19 pandemic. All interviews were auto-recorded, transcribed and analysed using a thematic method. Results: The four themes which emerged from findings were: student plans during COVID-19; students’ perspectives of the nursing profession; intern students’ mental states; and hospital roles. Conclusion: While the virus may negatively affect the experience of nursing intern students, the support of the media and society towards nursing staff during the pandemic has encouraged them significantly. So this study recommended that nursing stakeholders collaborate with the media to create greater interaction and embrace the nursing profession for younger generations.