Table 2 Theme, categories, and some quotes from the students (N = 34)

Emotions

Happiness

6

• It is more fun to practice skills in the laboratory than watching online videos, and I am very glad that I did it face-to-face (C1).

• I was happy to perform what I had learned under the supervision of a teacher (C3).

Stress

4

• After watching the video, I was thinking that I knew how to measure blood pressure; however, when I practiced it in the laboratory, I realized that I had shortcomings, I mean, there were factors such as confusion. However, I was overly stressed. If I had not practiced the skill in the laboratory, I would never have known what I lacked. Additionally, being face-to-face is more serious (C4).

• In the online practice, I was less excited because I was in my comfort and safety zone in my own room at home; however, it was not the same in the face-to-face practice. I was highly excited, stressed, and nervous (E3).

Feeling comfortable

4

• Frankly, I felt comfortable when I practiced online with my lecturer, and practicing with someone familiar to me further enhanced this comfort (E5).

• I was excited while practicing in the laboratory, but I felt more comfortable since I practiced it online (E9).

Fear

3

• It was our first practice online. Therefore, I was so excited and afraid that I could fail (E7).

Total

17 (50%)

Learning

Awareness

4

• I believed that I learned the blood pressure skill when I watched the video. I realized that I learned it better when I practiced it in the laboratory (C5).

• It was more instructive to practice the skill in the laboratory than to learn it by watching a video (C2).

Interaction–communication

4

• In face-to-face practices, we can communicate more effectively with our educators, and I feel closer to nursing in these practices. I was not feeling so intense while watching videos; however, when I am in the laboratory setting, I feel more active and deeply learned (C12).

Skill acquisition

3

• While watching the skill videos, I learned more about the theoretical side of practice; however, it was not as good as face-to-face (or one-on-one). I felt more fulfilled both theoretically and in terms of manual skills with face-to-face practices (C15).

• I believe it was very useful for me to learn how to measure blood pressure, and I was able to practice it better (E14).

Information retention

3

• I realized that the information gained by watching videos was not permanent while practicing in the laboratory (E17).

• Practicing blood pressure measuring on Zoom together with my educator was a reminder of face-to-face practice (C10).

Total

14 (41%)

Self-confidence

Skill practice in the laboratory

3

• I learned how to measure blood pressure in the online practice with our educator; however, I did not believe it was sufficient since it was online. I measured the blood pressure of my family members during the summer holidays. I was very pleased when I heard that we would practice it face-to-face when the school opened because I truly believed that I had learned it properly after the face-to-face practice, and I felt more confident (C21).

• I was not so confident in online practices, and I wondered whether I was practicing them correctly; therefore, I strongly supported face-to-face practices (E16).

Total

3 (9%)

General total

34 (100%)