How Can Virtual Reality Glasses and Virtual Learning Material be Useful for Final Stage Nursing Students?

Purpose: to describe nursing students’ experiences of learning with help of virtual learning materials and virtual simulations. The aim was to produce knowledge that can be used to develop virtual simulation teaching and counseling further and to support students’ self-debriefing. Methods: This is a mixed method study conducted with 13 final-stage nursing students at a University of Applied Sciences in Finland. Following virtual simulations performed during an acute nursing course, the students completed a questionnaire with qualitative and quantitative items on their experiences and on the usefulness of the simulations. The findings are primarily based on an inductive content analysis of the students’ responses to qualitative items. The quantitative data, analyzed by means of SPSS, was used to support the qualitative analysis. Results: Most participants found virtual simulation learning and the use of virtual reality glasses a welcome change and a meaningful and safe way to promote their theoretical and practical competencies. They appreciated the possibility to choose the topic and the time and place of study. The simulations had been useful in practicing assessment and decision-making skills. Problem-solving, simulation of rare incidents, game-like elements and step-by-step feedback were proposed. A few students disliked the artificial setting and some reported headache and nausea. Conclusion: Virtual simulations and virtual reality glasses can be effectively used to teach final-stage nursing students as part of a blended learning approach. Careful planning of the learning contents and a suitable level of challenge in the simulations increase student motivation. Keywords: experience, nursing student, acute nursing, virtual simulation, virtual reality, VR glasses