Blended Learning Practice in Different Learning Situations: Nursing Skills Lab, Lecture and Problem Based Learning

Background: Blended learning (BL) is one of the prominent learning strategies that is fitted with the international digital transformation in higher education. It is beneficial for students’ education contributing to acquiring and upgrading learning and enhancing their performance. It needs to be reassured about its effectiveness in clinical fields, especially in nursing education. Aim: It was to assess blended learning practice in different learning situations (Nursing Skills Lab, Lecture and Problem Based Learning) among nursing faculty staff. Subjects & Methods: A descriptive qualitative design was applied on purposive selected twelve participants using open questions during a semi-structured interview following reflexive thematic analysis. Results: Three major themes associated with nine subthemes were generated articulating to what extent BL was effective in practicing different learning situation. The themes were: BL assets into action in past and now in different learning situations; effectiveness of BL for educational process pillars; BL challenges and solutions in practice. Conclusion: BL is praiseworthy for learning clinical skills when conducting pre-lab session online and during-lab session demonstration face to face, influential for practicing PBL, and workable in lecture with a need for improvement. BL is effective compared to the online part alone in achieving all levels of educational objectives domains mainly with nursing skill lab more than others. It empowers pillars of educational process. However, the logistic problems represented in net availability and technological infrastructure were the most challenges for BL. Recommendation: Regular training of students and staff on professional using of technological resources supported by technological infrastructures and IT specialist, and training on BL alongside with effective teaching skills and strategies in lab, lecture and PBL, with full support of faculty leadership considering the bylaw for organizing effective implementation of BL.