ISRRT_COVID-19_book

The hospitals were under considerable pressure and it was understandable that we needed
to support our clinical colleagues by pulling the first and second-year students from
placement and delivering clinical learning through simulation sessions at university. This,
however, significantly reduced their clinical learning experience and we have seen evidence
of this impact during this current academic year. The feedback received from clinical
supervisors indicated that the lack of in-person contact on placement learning negatively
impacted students’ communication and patient care skills.
The final year students were prioritised and the university held additional exam boards to
enable this progression and graduation of this student cohort. This was imperative so that
they could complete their clinical requirements and enter the workforce to help support a
high-performing but thinly stretched fraternity.
Student impact
We previously mentioned that both students and academics experienced the impact that the
COVID-19 lockdown had on their personal and mental well-being. While we do not ignore the
academics’ circumstances, it is prudent to specifically focus on the circumstances and wellbeing
of the students. It is assumed that academics may already have strategies in place to
deal with this matter and may have access to various support systems. As for the students,
their abilities and enablers to continue and fully participate in their teaching, learning, and
assessment activities given their often challenging home, family and socio-economic
circumstances must be noted.
Students experienced that they were divided between their family and their studies. Often,
the South African students from traditional and rural families experience difficulties. As firstgeneration
university students, there is a lack of role models in their society. Their family
members do not understand the pressures associated with studying during the lockdown.
Students were expected to contribute to family chores, many times under challenging
circumstances. As such, this interfered with their teaching, learning, and assessment
participation.
To participate in their learning, some students had to either visit an internet café, often far
away from their homes, or travel to a spot (a hill or mountain) searching for connectivity.
Female students informed us that they were often scared of gender-based violence and felt
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