*1.4. Problem Statement*

A nurse educator plays an important role in promoting student learning and professional development, as well as in offering high-quality nursing education [28]. Keating, Berland, Capone et al. (2021) [29] suggest that the capacity of effective nurse educators is a significant constraint when addressing the global shortage of nurses. According to the WHO [30], the preparedness and expectations of nursing graduates will continue to evolve rapidly as a result of social and demographic changes, increasingly complex healthcare needs and chronic conditions, threats of emerging infectious diseases, and environmental and climate related illnesses. The core competencies of nurse educators include competence in nursing practice, pedagogical competence, communication, collaboration skills, monitoring and evaluating, management, and digital technology [31]. According to SANC, the competencies of a nurse educator are classified into seven domains, with facilitation of learning being the first competence which includes the use of information technologies to skilfully support the teaching-learning process [21]. For registration after qualification, each student nurse educator is required to obtain a minimum number of clinical practicum hours as part of their training that provides opportunities to develop the core competencies that align with course and program outcomes [32].

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was a SANC requirement that student nurse educators be assessed on theoretical lessons as well as clinical lessons. During the assessment, a real class scenario was simulated with fellow students or at an accredited nursing education institution with student nurses. Students would be assessed by a registered nurse educator on issues that included lesson plan preparation, class facilitation including material used for facilitation and class control to meet the nurse educators' core competencies as stipulated by WHO [31]. To conform to government-imposed physical distancing regulations for restricted infection transmission [33], the method of assessment was changed. This led to a shift from the face-to-face practical examination to an online practical examination assessment. To overcome pedagogical challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, prerecorded instructional videos, narrated PowerPoint presentations, and live practical classes with students practising at home are some examples of the digitally enhanced teaching approaches adopted by health science educators to teach practical skills remotely [34]. Naik, Deshpande, Shivananda et al. (2021) [35] reported that in efforts to combat this inevitable crisis, educational sectors began conducting online classes and this sudden changeover in the teaching and learning method raised new challenges and opportunities.

Given the background, it is noteworthy to report that much has been achieved with respect to online teaching and learning in HSE. However, none of the currently available studies have focused specifically on virtual practical examinations for student nurse educators. Therefore, this review aims to synthesise evidence that describes those challenges and opportunities presented by e-assessment in the HSE practical examination for student nurse educators during the COVID-19 pandemic. Furthermore, we aim to make recommendations that might help higher education institutions, particularly those offering nursing education, to enhance the use of e-assessment for practical examinations as an essential assessment tool rather than being one only to be used in such emergency situations as the COVID-19 pandemic.

#### *1.5. Definition of Key Concepts*

**Human Sciences:** This involves the study and understanding of human beings [36] and nursing as a human science focuses on the humaneness of the person and seeks to provide patient centred care which is directed towards improving the life of a unique individual [37].

**Higher Education**: Higher education is viewed as a vehicle for intellectual development, developing a flexible mind and, regardless of the field of study, helping students acquire knowledge and intellectual skills that can be applied in a variety of different contexts [38]. Higher nursing education is nursing education specifically offered in a university setting, with the aim of preparing nursing graduates with complex knowledge and skills [39].

**Nursing Education** refers to the professional education for the preparation of nurses to enable them to render professional nursing care to people of all ages, in all phases of health and illness, in a variety of settings. According to SANC, Nursing Education is a "specialist field that focuses on education and training students who are undertaking undergraduate and or postgraduate programme in nursing" [21].

**Nurse Educator** refers to a professional with an additional qualification in Nursing Education and is registered as such with the SANC [21]. In this review, the term student nurse educators refers to those professional nurses who are studying to obtain their basic degree qualification in Nursing Education, as explained in the definition above.
