The Impact of Virtual Reality Simulation within Nursing Programs

Abstract

With advancing technologies, healthcare practices are evolving and improving all the time. When the goal is to keep up with these constantly changing practices, nursing programs are regularly reviewing the latest research to ensure that they are up to date when it comes to clinical experiences. In addition, nursing shortages, which in turn cause nurse educator and clinical site shortages, force simulation and other practical experiences to become more prevalent. One type of simulation that is small but still growing is virtual reality (Aebersold, 2018). With the addition of virtual reality simulations in nursing programs, students can feel more prepared for not only their clinical experiences, but also for the high-fidelity simulation experiences. Virtual reality can also help to boost nursing students’ confidence, improve communication, and optimize learning skills. After analyzing the literature, it was deduced that virtual reality simulations have a positive impact on nursing students’ education.