Challenges for nursing schools due to digitalisation

This study analyses the impact of digitalisation on nursing schools. The phenomenon of digitalisation is going to reach every domain of human life - the private and the professional. This is also evident for the (long-term) care sector and its nursing schools. In this growing industry the relevance of nursing schools increases by being a key driver to meet challenges like the demographic change or lack of skilled nurses. In 2020, during the first Covid-19 restrictions, nursing schools, like other schools, had to find solutions to continue teaching. While general schools attracted much more public attention with their attempts to replace traditional teaching, nursing schools were given the same attention. Therefore, an online survey was conducted with more than eighty nursing schools attendants to find out the status quo of digitalisation. It is fair to say that most of them enabled remote learning via online class. However, it seems that the use of digital technologies and methods is still limited to that. A case study concerning an education company with seven nursing schools in North Rhine-Westphalia confirms that the technical infrastructure is only one prerequisite to digitalising classes. Furthermore, the employees and, in particular, teachers have to obtain and develop knowledge in using. This should not be restricted to the teaching and learning part of it but should also include the preparatory work and follow-up of classes. In addition, the corresponding administration processes have to be digitalised as well. At the time of writing this publication, in July 2021, more than one year after the first lockdown, many nursing schools still seem to be at the very beginning of the digitalisation process, despite of the boosting effect by the Covid-19 restrictions.