Nursing schools face opportunities, challenges as COVID-19 wears on

Nursing schools are facing unique opportunities and challenges as the pandemic continues, writes Wendy Glauser of University Affairs. Glauser says that there has been an increased interest in nursing during the pandemic, but the demand for qualified professionals means that finding instructors to train students has been difficult. While nurses are retiring from the profession in greater numbers, the number of young people applying to the profession has increased. There also have been issues with securing adequate hands-on learning opportunities: Provinces have been increasing funding and nursing program seats to address the need for nurses during the pandemic, but Glauser points out that funding alone cannot solve issues related to clinical placements. Nursing students have also struggled with online labs and placements, questioning whether these online simulations are adequately preparing them for work after graduation. University Affairs Note: Archived stories may contain dead links or be missing source links.