From leadership research to district action: Enhancing resilience of nursing education during war: policy implications from a qualitative study

AI-assisted editorial implementation guide. Proposed district actions are separate from the original authors’ findings and recommendations. Independent peer review of this guide is not asserted.

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Evidence and transfer

Education-related source: verify which participants, institutions and outcomes were actually studied before district adoption. Source publication type: research-article. License and identity checks do not establish study quality or causality.

Original authors’ abstract, reproduced under the source license:

Abstract Background Education of nurses may be compromised during a crisis. On October 7, 2023, the “Iron Swords” war broke out in Israel. The academic year was postponed, and nursing education was disrupted. Despite the acknowledged importance of continuing nurse training during emergencies, research on this topic is scarce. Aim To examine nursing school management activities and describe the adaptive strategies of academic frameworks during the war in Israel. Design and methods This qualitative study was conducted in nursing schools in Israel that were directly affected by the Iron Swords War (October 7, 2023). We interviewed five of the seven chairs of nursing departments in Iron Swords conflict zones, content analyzed the interview text, and employed COREQ reporting guidelines for this qualitative study. Results Six main themes were identified: Management and leadership under uncertainty; Resilience and preparedness; Supporting well-being and inclusivity; Adaptability and innovation in the educational process; Fostering a sense of community; and Engagement of students and faculties in the crisis response. One of the most remarkable findings was the blending of personal and professional roles, as manifested in the immediate response and re-organization by the academic and administrative staff. Discussion The ability of academia to maintain function and make decisions under conditions of uncertainty is of paramount importance. This requires collaborative decision-making, leveraging diverse perspectives, fostering inclusivity, and enhancing the effectiveness of responses. Maintaining routines creates a feeling of belonging, promotes setting and realization of goals, provides meaning, and maintains motivation. Conclusions The results provide insights into the management of nursing education during prolonged emergencies and health policy implications. Although focused on a war scenario, the findings have broader implications and offer strategies applicable to more general crises. Keywords: War, Emergency, Nursing academy, Nursing faculty, Policy implications, Resilience

Study methods

This qualitative study employed a participatory action research approach, integrating participation, action, and research in a collaborative process designed to both deepen understanding of a social issue and promote meaningful change. The study employed content analysis of interviews conducted between September and October 2024. A purposive sample was obtained (Chairs of Nursing Departments) in order to recruit participants with real-world experience. The Chairs of the nursing departments in seven academic institutions in conflict zones during the Iron Swords War in Israel were invited by e-mail and phone to participate in an interview. Five (72%) agreed to participate: three from the Southern; one from the Northern; and one from the Eastern borders of Israel.

Limitations

The limitations of the study are inherent to qualitative research and the subjectivity of the opinions of a relatively small number of interviewees. Nevertheless, a purposive sampling strategy was employed to recruit participants with direct, real-world experience in managing nursing education during times of war. In addition, qualitative studies provide valuable information, while the validation techniques improve the accurate representation of the studied phenomena [23, 24]. Moreover, the five Chairs of the nursing departments interviewed represent 72% of leading nursing departments in the conflict zones in Israel. Notably, we emphasized confidentiality and voluntary participation and maintained reflexive notes throughout data collection and analysis in order to overcome potential bias introduced by the dual role of researcher and department Chair. A final point is that the interviews were conducted via Zoom rather than in person. While this mode of communication enabled participation from diverse locations and ensured safety and convenience, it may have limited the observation of nonverbal cues and the depth of interpersonal connection that can occur in face-to-face settings. Nevertheless, the online format allowed flexibility and comfort, especially in times of crisis. Future studies could expand on this work by including multiple institutions to capture broader cultural and organizational perspectives. Additionally, mixed-method or longitudinal designs could be employed to examine changes over time. Further exploration of faculties and real world student experiences could deepen understanding of the any influential factors.

A 90-day district inquiry

Days 1–15 · Appraise. Read the source methods, recruitment, comparator, outcomes and limitations. Record how the study setting differs from your district and which claim the design can support.
Days 16–30 · Design. Select one recurring district decision. Publish the decision owner, evidence requirements, consultation process and appeal route; test the process on a bounded low-risk decision. Agree participation, privacy protections, baseline and stopping rules before starting.
Days 31–60 · Observe. Collect the pre-agreed measures, keep a log of implementation changes and invite confidential voluntary feedback. Preserve existing support for staff and learners.
Days 61–90 · Decide. Track decision time, unresolved objections, documented reasons, appeals and access differences. Review whether the process changes who can participate and who carries the burden. Make a dated decision to stop, revise or extend the inquiry.

Board decision brief

Present the local problem, source setting, evidence limits, intervention, responsible owner, total cost, measured changes and uncertainty. Separate staff perceptions, implementation measures and student learning outcomes.

Attribution and reuse

Ilya Kagan; Odeya Cohen. Enhancing resilience of nursing education during war: policy implications from a qualitative study. Israel Journal of Health Policy Research (2025-11-17). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13584-025-00732-1

Prepared 2026-11-07. Source authorship and DOI are preserved. The abstract and source passages are attributed extracts; this editorial guide is offered under the same CC BY 4.0 license.