Other Titles
Interprofessional Teaching Strategies: Providing Students From Two Countries With Global Learning [Symposium Title]
Abstract
Homelessness is a complex and growing public health concern encompassing 1.6 billion people globally. People living homeless face barriers in managing activities of daily living, existing chronic or acute health conditions, and are likely to experience more health problems and health inequities. Worldwide, nurses will encounter patients who are living homeless, therefore having an overall understanding of living homeless will help them care for their patients.
To give students a broader perspective, faculty from Ohio State University College of Nursing in Ohio and Lovisenberg Diaconal University College in Norway connected students to discuss a global health concern. The purpose of utilizing virtual reality (VR) technology as a teaching strategy was to give Norwegian and US students a chance to explore virtual homelessness, compare and discuss the problem across borders and to develop understanding and empathy for vulnerable populations.
Faculty developed a teaching strategy where students from the US and Norway utilized the “We Live Here” app VR simulation through a VR platform and compatible headsets. The VR experience focused on the life of a woman living homeless, antecedents to her homelessness, and stigma faced while homeless. Upon completion of the VR simulation, students and faculty from both countries debriefed. After the simulation, students described feelings of empathy for the person living homeless. Students stated they felt anxious, scared, and sad when the person living homeless had to relocate and when their personal items were taken.
Furthermore, students discussed how difficult it would be for homeless individuals with illness or injuries requiring medication or care management. Feedback from the nursing students indicated this immersive experience provided a deeper understanding of the homeless population. This collaborative VR experience underpins this as an effective teaching strategy for developing compassion and empathy in nurses.
Notes
References:
1. American Association of Colleges of Nursing [AACN]. (2021). The Essentials: core competencies for professional nursing education.
https://www.aacnnursing.org/Portals/0/PDFs/Publications/Essentials-2021.pdf
2. Billings DM, Halstead JA. (2020). Teaching in Nursing: A Guide for Faculty. 6th ed. Elsevier.
3. Bochenek, J., Edwards, S., Taylor, T., Jenssen, U., Sundfaer, H., King, T.S. (2024). Using virtual homelessness in a global context as a teaching strategy. Nurse Educator, 49(5), E296-E297.
https://doi.org/10.1097/NNE.0000000000001603
4. EU directive 2005/36/EC. (2005). Official Journal of the European Union. https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/PDF/?uri=CELEX:32005L0036
5. United Nations [UN]. (2020). Homelessness could happen to anyone.
https://www.un.org/en/desa/homelessness-could-happen-anyone
Sigma Membership
Epsilon, Zeta Phi at-Large
Type
Presentation
Format Type
Text-based Document
Study Design/Type
Other
Research Approach
Other
Keywords:
Interprofessional, Nursing Education, Virtual Reality, Homelessness, Empathy
Recommended Citation
Bochenek, Jeanie M.; Edwards, Sara; Jenssen, Unni; and Taylor, Tracy, "Developing Empathy for Homelessness Populations through a Virtual Reality Teaching Strategy" (2025). International Nursing Research Congress (INRC). 280.
https://www.sigmarepository.org/inrc/2025/presentations_2025/280
Conference Name
36th International Nursing Research Congress
Conference Host
Sigma Theta Tau International
Conference Location
Seattle, Washington, 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.
Review Type
Abstract Review Only: Reviewed by Event Host
Acquisition
Proxy-submission
Developing Empathy for Homelessness Populations through a Virtual Reality Teaching Strategy
Seattle, Washington, USA
Homelessness is a complex and growing public health concern encompassing 1.6 billion people globally. People living homeless face barriers in managing activities of daily living, existing chronic or acute health conditions, and are likely to experience more health problems and health inequities. Worldwide, nurses will encounter patients who are living homeless, therefore having an overall understanding of living homeless will help them care for their patients.
To give students a broader perspective, faculty from Ohio State University College of Nursing in Ohio and Lovisenberg Diaconal University College in Norway connected students to discuss a global health concern. The purpose of utilizing virtual reality (VR) technology as a teaching strategy was to give Norwegian and US students a chance to explore virtual homelessness, compare and discuss the problem across borders and to develop understanding and empathy for vulnerable populations.
Faculty developed a teaching strategy where students from the US and Norway utilized the “We Live Here” app VR simulation through a VR platform and compatible headsets. The VR experience focused on the life of a woman living homeless, antecedents to her homelessness, and stigma faced while homeless. Upon completion of the VR simulation, students and faculty from both countries debriefed. After the simulation, students described feelings of empathy for the person living homeless. Students stated they felt anxious, scared, and sad when the person living homeless had to relocate and when their personal items were taken.
Furthermore, students discussed how difficult it would be for homeless individuals with illness or injuries requiring medication or care management. Feedback from the nursing students indicated this immersive experience provided a deeper understanding of the homeless population. This collaborative VR experience underpins this as an effective teaching strategy for developing compassion and empathy in nurses.
Description
Overall Symposium Summary: Over the past five years, a U.S. and Norwegian academic team sustained a partnership to engage and enhance nursing students' education on local and global health issues to address the Sustainable Development Goals. The interprofessional team developed Innovative teaching strategies for students to become global citizens whether internationalization occurred at home or abroad. It is imperative that nurse educators prepare future nursing generations with global perspectives.
Note: The attached slide deck is a combined symposium presentation containing the slides of all featured symposium speakers.
To locate the other presentations in this symposium search the repository by the Symposium Title shown in the Other Title field of this item record.