Abstract
Simulation is widely used in nursing education where students are provided opportunities to experience a variety of clinical encounters ranging from performing a procedural skill to assuming the nurse role in a high-fidelity simulation. Virtual reality (VR) simulations use a variety of immersive, highly visual, 3D characteristics to replicate real-life situations and/or health care procedures (Lioce et al., 2020).
VR has gained increased attention in nursing education and has been used to teach many nursing concepts such as safety, psychomotor skills, health assessment, communication, decision making, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and inclusivity. It enables students to practice patient care in a safe environment without the risk of harming the patient. Virtual reality simulation is an additional learning strategy that supports and respects the varying learning styles of today’s nursing students.
The purpose of this project was to incorporate VR as a teaching strategy within an established pre-licensure nursing simulation curriculum in 3 different settings with varying numbers of participants including: (1) a large lecture classroom, (2) a skills lab with multiple clinical groups, and (3) a simulation lab with multiple clinical groups. VR was used as an interactive strategy to teach the concepts of oxygenation (large classroom setting), newborn assessment (skills lab setting), and caring for a patient experiencing a mental health crisis (simulation lab setting).
At the end of the learning activity, students were asked to evaluate the use of VR as a teaching strategy including achievement of learning outcomes, learner engagement, realism, and empathy. Additionally, learners ranked their preference for VR simulation compared to other simulation modalities. Across all 3 settings, student responses were favorable indicating enhanced knowledge, empathy and realism. Overall, students reported feeling immersed in the scenario and indicated a preference for increased use of VR simulation in the future. Learner perceptions were mixed dependent on their role, whether as an observer or as a participant wearing a VR headset.
This presentation will share the development, implementation, and evaluation of 3 virtual reality simulations across 3 different settings. Successes, challenges, and benefits will be discussed to determine the best approach for incorporating VR technology into simulation curricula in a pre-licensure nursing program.
Notes
Reference list included in attached slide deck.
Sigma Membership
Alpha Beta
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Simulation, Curriculum Development, Virtual Learning, Nursing Education, Emerging Technologies
Recommended Citation
Raschke Deichstetter, Nancy L.; Dunderdale, Joanne O.; Kostovich, Carol T.; Quinones, Donna; and Cahill, Anne, "Virtual Reality Across Three Different Learning Environments: Outcomes, Challenges, Successes" (2025). Biennial Convention (CONV). 107.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/convention/2025/presentations_2025/107
Conference Name
48th Biennial Convention
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Conference Year
2025
Rights Holder
All rights reserved by the author(s) and/or publisher(s) listed in this item record unless relinquished in whole or part by a rights notation or a Creative Commons License present in this item record. All permission requests should be directed accordingly and not to the Sigma Repository. All submitting authors or publishers have affirmed that when using material in their work where they do not own copyright, they have obtained permission of the copyright holder prior to submission and the rights holder has been acknowledged as necessary.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Date of Issue
2025-11-21
Virtual Reality Across Three Different Learning Environments: Outcomes, Challenges, Successes
Indianapolis, Indiana, USA
Simulation is widely used in nursing education where students are provided opportunities to experience a variety of clinical encounters ranging from performing a procedural skill to assuming the nurse role in a high-fidelity simulation. Virtual reality (VR) simulations use a variety of immersive, highly visual, 3D characteristics to replicate real-life situations and/or health care procedures (Lioce et al., 2020).
VR has gained increased attention in nursing education and has been used to teach many nursing concepts such as safety, psychomotor skills, health assessment, communication, decision making, critical thinking, teamwork, leadership, and inclusivity. It enables students to practice patient care in a safe environment without the risk of harming the patient. Virtual reality simulation is an additional learning strategy that supports and respects the varying learning styles of today’s nursing students.
The purpose of this project was to incorporate VR as a teaching strategy within an established pre-licensure nursing simulation curriculum in 3 different settings with varying numbers of participants including: (1) a large lecture classroom, (2) a skills lab with multiple clinical groups, and (3) a simulation lab with multiple clinical groups. VR was used as an interactive strategy to teach the concepts of oxygenation (large classroom setting), newborn assessment (skills lab setting), and caring for a patient experiencing a mental health crisis (simulation lab setting).
At the end of the learning activity, students were asked to evaluate the use of VR as a teaching strategy including achievement of learning outcomes, learner engagement, realism, and empathy. Additionally, learners ranked their preference for VR simulation compared to other simulation modalities. Across all 3 settings, student responses were favorable indicating enhanced knowledge, empathy and realism. Overall, students reported feeling immersed in the scenario and indicated a preference for increased use of VR simulation in the future. Learner perceptions were mixed dependent on their role, whether as an observer or as a participant wearing a VR headset.
This presentation will share the development, implementation, and evaluation of 3 virtual reality simulations across 3 different settings. Successes, challenges, and benefits will be discussed to determine the best approach for incorporating VR technology into simulation curricula in a pre-licensure nursing program.
Description
The purpose of this project was to incorporate virtual reality as a teaching strategy within an established pre-licensure nursing simulation curriculum in three different settings including: (1) a large lecture classroom, (2) a skills lab with multiple clinical groups, and (3) a simulation lab with multiple clinical groups. This presentation will share the development, implementation, and evaluation of three virtual reality simulations across three distinct learning environments.