Clinical Competency Paused: The New Graduate Nurse Experience of Transition Post COVID-19. What Was the Effectiveness of Nurse Education Programmes in Developing Clinical Competency Among Newly Qualified Nurses in New Zealand During the COVID-19 Pand

Background: The changing demands of nurse education during the covid pandemic lead to swift modifications in nurse education delivery. This aim of this integrative review was to identify and synthesize the current position and identify the longer-term impact of COVID-19 on the nurse education system in New Zealand. Method: An integrative literature review methodology was utilised. Specific inclusion/exclusion criteria was applied to three databases. The CASP critical appraisal framework for qualitative and quantitative research was used. Four articles that met the inclusion criteria focused on New Zealand and one article had a focus on Australian practice. Results: Meta-synthesis was conducted and identified three main themes: education andragogy, resource implications and clinical competency. Discussion: The findings indicate that there exists considerable variation in nurse education delivery because of COVID-19 response. The main themes with sub-themes are critical in the nurse education development of nurse education programmes. The emphasis is on the need to enhance the quality and consistency of nurse education in New Zealand to prepare for future-proofing nurse education across emergency situations. How transferable were the lessons learned from the COVID-19 pandemic?