Nursing Students’ Perceptions of Lecturers’ Caring Presence During Online Learning in a Public Nursing College in South Africa

Abstract

Background The Diploma in Nursing programme (Regulation R.171) in South Africa has traditionally been delivered through face‐to‐face classroom teaching combined with supervised clinical practice. However, the COVID‐19 pandemic in 2020 necessitated a rapid transition to online learning to ensure continuity of nursing education while minimising the spread of the virus. As caring is a fundamental value underpinning the nursing profession, it was essential that this value be maintained within virtual learning environments. In this study, caring presence is conceptualised as both relational and structural, encompassing lecturers’ communication, emotional support, accessibility, institutional responsiveness and digital equity. Aim This study explored nursing students’ perceptions of lecturers’ caring presence during online learning at a public nursing college in Gauteng Province, South Africa, and developed recommendations to inform the design and implementation of future online and blended learning environments. Design and Methods A qualitative, contextual research design guided by the Appreciative Inquiry approach was employed to explore nursing students’ experiences of lecturers’ caring presence during online learning. Data were collected through focus group interviews with third‐year nursing students and analysed using thematic analysis. Participants and Setting Twenty‐three third‐year nursing students enrolled in the Diploma in Nursing programme participated in four focus group interviews conducted across two nursing college campuses in South Africa. Results Four overarching themes emerged from the data, reflecting students’ perceptions of lecturers’ caring presence during online learning. Participants highlighted the importance of effective communication, emotional support, lecturer accessibility, institutional responsiveness and equitable access to digital resources in fostering a caring online learning environment. Students recommended integrating caring values into the college’s mission and philosophy, strengthening the development of professional attributes such as caring, compassion, resilience and empathy through blended learning approaches, incorporating digital literacy into the nursing curriculum, providing continuous professional development for lecturers in the use of learning management systems and ensuring accessible technical support for all nursing students. Conclusion The findings demonstrate that caring presence remains a critical component of quality nursing education, regardless of the mode of delivery. Strengthening caring relationships, institutional support and digital preparedness can enhance students’ learning experiences in online environments. The recommendations may inform curriculum development, educational policy and future research aimed at promoting caring‐centred online nursing education.