Abstract:

There is no doubt that digital transformation is changing the educational landscape with accessible connectivity for any time and any place learning. In nursing education, where clinical placements are always difficult and in-person simulation training comes at a high cost for manikins, standardize patients, designated space, and equipment, virtual reality (VR) provides a new environment for experiential learning and engagement that is both flexible and cost-effective. Our program is at the forefront of using such innovative technology for the incorporation of VR into course content and program training.

The objective of this presentation is to outline the use cases of VR as a modality in healthcare simulation, with specific emphasis on nursing simulation and the VR applications that have been developed with the Department of Visualization for nursing education training. Current VR projects include Forensics, Pediatrics, Obstetrics, Geriatrics, Mental Health, Substance Abuse Disorder, Postpartum Hemorrhage Management, and Sepsis Management. Through these VR Simulations, students are gaining additional skills development with immersive experiences that supplement their learning. Such realistic practice supports the formation of their professional identity. Each VR Simulation is also an opportunity for assessment and self-reflection with clear objectives in a pre-brief and a debrief following the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice™.

To date, over 755 learners have taken part in the virtual reality experiences. Nurses at different stages of their tenure within the undergraduate, graduate, and certificate programs over the past 3 years have participated in at least one of the nice VR Simulations. All the VR scenarios are fully immersive environments within the Meta Quest® and Meta Quest 2® head mounted displays. The VR applications are developed in-house through a collaboration with the Visualization Department using the Unity platform. Students spend 10-20 minutes in VR interacting with a virtual client. A Pre-Post knowledge check consisting of content-based questions along with Pre-Post VR-Related usability questions and the Simulation Effectiveness Tool – Modified (SET-M) are used to assess the simulations. The Clinical Learning Environment Comparison Survey 2.0© (CLEC 2.0) is also used with students at the end of their nursing program to survey the effectiveness of how their learning needs were met between the VR experience compared to that of traditional clinicals and simulated clinicals/face-to-face simulations.

These VR Simulations also provide a means for outreach through exposure to community and rural health issues that learners may not be exposed, thus bridging the gap in healthcare to underserved populations. The possibilities for future VR iterations with Artificial Intelligence capabilities that support dynamic learning are also endless. Participants will come away from the presentation with new perspectives on how immersive experiences can increase access to learning by providing students hands-on opportunities with the technologies that they will inevitably work with in the digital age.

Keywords:

Nursing, Virtual Reality, Simulation.