Experienced Challenges by Internship Nursing Students in Clinical Training During the COVID-19 Pandemic Era: A Qualitative Content Analysis

Background: The COVID-19 outbreak has changed the structures and orders of societies, especially in the nursing profession. Objectives: This study was conducted to determine the challenges experienced by internship nursing students during clinical training in Iran. Methods: This study was conducted using a qualitative and conventional content analysis approach. A total of 13 nursing students in their final year of study centers in Kermanshah, Iran, were selected using purposive sampling from August to September 2022. Individual face-to-face and semi-structured interviews were used for data collection. Interviews continued until data saturation was reached. The data were analyzed following Graneheim and Lundman’s approach. Statistical methods were not used in this study. Results: The data analysis led to 334 primary codes, ten subcategories, and three categories. The three categories were: (1) the future challenges of professional nurses; (2) education planning challenges; (3) and trainees related to challenges. Conclusions: The study revealed that nursing students experienced personal, professional, and official challenges during their clinical training in the COVID-19 disaster. Nursing schools should proactively plan and prepare themselves to resolve expected challenges and better educational management appropriately.