Experiences of Nurse Managers in Clinical Nursing Education during Emerging Infectious Disease Outbreaks: A Qualitative Study

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the experiences of nurse managers in clinical nursing education during an emerging infectious disease outbreak. Methods: Individual semi-structured interviews were conducted with 12 nurse managers from seven general or tertiary hospitals, each with 300 or more beds, in South Korea. Data were collected between February 17 and June 10, 2023, and analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Four themes and 11 subthemes were identified. Nurse managers faced significant challenges in departmental management during the infectious disease outbreak, encountered a wide range of student attitudes toward learning, adapted their teaching methods flexibly in response to changing infectious disease conditions, and ultimately found meaning in the irreplaceable value of clinical practice education. Conclusion: During the emerging infectious disease outbreak, nurse managers not only encountered substantial difficulties but also experienced professional growth as clinical nursing educators. To enhance clinical nursing education in such challenging environments, it is essential to minimize uncertainty caused by infectious diseases and foster positive perceptions among nursing students regarding clinical practice education under restrictive circumstances. Institutional support is also necessary to reduce the work burden on nurse managers.