Abstract:

Introduction:
Advancements in virtual reality (VR) have led to increased VR use and the development of lightweight, affordable, and wireless VR equipment. VR use in nursing and midwifery education has gained traction globally. Many educators started using VR to counteract the negative impact of COVID-19. Within VR, students can practice and learn in a safe environment and engage in critical thinking. VR proved successful in various contexts like teaching chemotherapy administration, nursing skill competence training, and peripheral intravenous catheter insertion, among others. Despite this, evidence on the feasibility of incorporating VR in nursing and midwifery education is lacking. The aim of this study was to describe the usability of VR simulation among nursing and midwifery students, as well as their level of satisfaction with VR simulation, and explore their experiences of engaging with VR simulation.

Methods:
Undergraduate nursing and midwifery students registered in any year of study were recruited from a university in Cork, Ireland using convenience and snowball sampling. Two VIrtual SImulatiON (VISION) weeks were launched in the university in 2022. Study posters were displayed and circulated via e-mail. Each poster contained a quick response code that students could scan to register their interest in participating. Four research personnel who were trained in VR collected data. Participants signed informed consent and engaged in a 20-minute VR simulation scenario of their choice. They then completed a 21-item survey comprising a sociodemographic questionnaire, the System Usability Scale, a satisfaction questionnaire, and open-ended questions. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, and qualitative data were analyzed using deductive content analysis.

Results:
Forty-three students participated in this study. Most participants were female (n=39, 90.7%), either in their first year (n=15, 34.88%) or second year (n=16, 37.21%) of study, and reported having never used VR previously (n=24, 55.81%). The mean (SD) System Usability Scale score was 75.87 (13.7), indicating that VR simulation was acceptable. Almost all participants (n=42, 97.67%) were satisfied with VR simulation. Participants perceived VR simulation as informative and enjoyable, fostering safe and self-directed learning without causing patient harm. The VR experience was described as immersive and close to real-life, affording students the opportunity to learn various skills. Challenges related to getting used to the technology, minor technical issues, and difficulties performing certain tasks. Participants recommended using VR simulation to practice clinical skills, prepare for clinical placements, and learn about rare clinical situations. They suggested incorporating VR into teaching, learning, and assessment and making VR accessible in IT labs and libraries.

Conclusion:
Findings indicate that the development and integration of VR simulation in nursing and midwifery education is warranted. The space for VR needs to be primed a priori, particularly that the development and deployment of VR simulation are resource heavy. A pilot study would help identify the most effective means of leveraging VR simulation and mitigate unforeseen problems. VR simulation needs to be underpinned by a strong pedagogy and aligned with learning outcomes. Students and educators need to be trained in VR use prior to implementing VR simulation.

Keywords:

Education, midwifery, nursing, simulation, undergraduate, usability, virtual reality.