Incorporating virtual reality in nurse education: A qualitative study of nursing students' perspectives

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  • Mohamad M. Saab, PhD, MSc, PGDTLHE, RGN1; Margaret Landers, PhD, RNT, RGN, RM1; David Murphy, PGDip L&T, BMus2; Josephine Hegarty, PhD, RNT, RGN1

    1 School of Nursing and Midwifery, University College Cork

    2School of Computer Science and Information Technology, University College Cork

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http://hdl.handle.net/10755/22042
Abstract

Background: Recent challenges to nurse education have resulted in an increased use of virtual reality which serves as an immersive and effective medium for skill and knowledge acquisition. Virtual reality technology is being included in nurse curricula at undergraduate level. This technology remains a relatively new experience for many nursing students with limited evidence regarding students' perspectives regarding virtual reality.

Objective: To explore nursing students' perspectives of incorporating virtual reality in nurse education.

Design: Qualitative descriptive study using thematic analysis.

Setting: Public university in Ireland.

Participants: Undergraduate nursing students were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling.

Methods: Students (n = 26) participated in face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups in January and February 2020. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis.

Results: Three themes were constructed from the interviews: captivating, innovative, and empowering nature of virtual reality; contextual transfer; and challenges and threats to actualisation. Participants believed that virtual reality affords a novel, fun, memorable, inclusive, and engaging means of learning. Many believed that virtual reality would complement current teaching and learning approaches, help build learners' confidence, and provide nursing students with a safe space for trial, error, and problem-solving. The use of virtual reality was recommended to practise various nursing skills and learn about human anatomy, physiology, problem-solving, and clinical decision-making. Participants identified the resources incurred by the technology as challenges to implementing virtual reality in nurse education and stressed the need for continuous face-to-face feedback.

Conclusions: Findings suggest that virtual reality technology has the potential to facilitate learning, complement current educational approaches, and provide nurse educators with novel and engaging means of content delivery.

Funder(s)
Sigma Foundation for Nursing;
Joan K. Stout, RN
Description
Dr. Saab is the recipient of the Sigma/Joan K. Stout, RN Research Grant, 2018-2019 cohort.
Repository Posting Date
2021-09-17T19:39:56Z
Notes
This work appears in the Sigma Repository pursuant to a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License attached to the work upon its publication in the journal acknowledged in this record. Please refer to the attached license (the icon at the bottom of this entry) for further information and terms. All terms of the license have been followed. The Sigma Repository is sharing this article for educational purposes only. There are no changes in this article from the original posting.
Type Information
TypeArticle
AcquisitionIndexed from External Source (Per Creative Commons License)
Review TypeExternal Review: Previously Published Material
FormatText-based Document
Category Information
Evidence LevelDescriptive/Correlational
Research ApproachQualitative Research
KeywordsVirtual Reality;
Nursing Students;
Nursing Education
Original Publication Info
PublisherElsevier, Ltd.
Date2021-10
VersionPublisher’s Version
CitationSaab, M. M., Hegarty, J., Murphy, D., & Landers, M. (2021). Incorporating virtual reality in nurse education: A qualitative study of nursing students' perspectives. Nurse Education Today, 105, 105045. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105045
ISSN0260-6917
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