This study is a qualitative study to uncover the meaning and structure of nursing students' online psychiatric nursing practice experience by applying Parse's research method. The subjects of the study were 9 fourth-year nursing students at K University who took psychiatric nursing practice online in the COVID-19 situation. Data collection was conducted from March 7, 2022 to May 27, 2022. As a result of the study, the core concepts of nursing students' online practice experience in psychiatric nursing in the COVID-19 situation were: ‘Recognizing the importance of understanding oneself and others’, ‘Preparing for communication to build therapeutic relationships’, and ‘A perspective on the future through exploration of the meaning of nursing’. Structural transposition was presented as ‘Empathy for self and others’, ‘Mindset for interpersonal human relationship’, ‘Exploring the essence of nursing and self-realization’. Conceptual integration appeared as ‘Valuing’, ‘Revealing-Concealing’, ‘Revealing-Concealing’. In conclusion, nursing students' online practice experience in mental health nursing in the COVID-19 situation was an experience of growing and transcending as future nurses by recognizing the importance of human understanding and communication for the therapeutic relationship that is the purpose of mental nursing. This study will serve as basic data for efficient clinical practice operations in various unpredictable situations, such as future pandemics.