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Background: Digital education using immersive virtual reality (VR) technology is available in nursing. Evidence of its effectiveness is essential. Purpose: This review analyzed the effectiveness of and barriers to using immersive VR in nursing education. Methods: A structured search was performed in PubMed, Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature, EMBASE, PsycINFO, Web of Science, and ProQuest Nursing & Allied Health Database. The Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument was used to assess the quality of studies. Results: The final review was composed of 9 studies of moderate to high quality published between 2018 and 2020. The review indicated that immersive VR increased learning, cognitive, and psychomotor performance. Most participants of the studies preferred using immersive VR in education and with a variety of experiential scenarios. Barriers were associated with technological hardware and software (eg, simulation sickness, lack of visual comfort). Conclusion: The review supports the viability of immersive VR technology in nursing education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Creating innovative online instruction was essential during the COVID-19 pandemic. This article highlights an engaging, online escape room (OER) educational innovation used to teach patient safety to first-semester nursing students. Method: Utilizing constructivist and adult learning theories, the OER, developed using Google Forms, consisted of gamification. Students completed puzzles related to a patient safety scenario presented via text, photograph, audio, and video to promote critical thinking and decision making. Results: Review of student reflections, test scores, and survey results determined the OER was effective to develop the student's understanding of the nurse's role in patient safety to include identification of safety concerns and appropriate interventions. Conclusion: Using Google forms, educators can create an OER for various topics to enhance student engagement and critical thinking skills. The OER can be supplemental instruction or an alternative for clinical and simulation instruction when online learning is mandated. [J Nurs Educ. 2021;60(8):466–469.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Rural nurses often practice in settings with limited access to continuing education resources. A hospital alliance in southeastern North Carolina developed a unique nurse-led mobile simulation program as a shared regional asset, for the purpose of meeting continuing education needs of rural nurses. Method: The alliance used a hub-and-spoke model to deliver education to staff in rural, critical access hospitals in order to reduce costs associated with education travel, the resulting staffing shortages, and delays in critical training. Continuing education credit was awarded to nurses participating in the learning activity. Results: Fully mobile simulation can be an effective delivery mode for continuing and just-in-time education for nurses practicing in rural settings. Establishing the program as a regional shared resource can make this a financially viable option for rural hospitals. Conclusion: Lessons learned during the mobile simulation program's evolution and the resulting financial sustainability are discussed. Lessons learned during the mobile simulation program's evolution and the resulting financial sustainability are discussed. [[J Contin Educ Nurs. 2020;51(2):82–86.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Education in medication administration is essential to patient safety, but there is limited evidence to describe the best way to influence clinical practice by nursing students. In a medication administration pilot study, the state anxiety of 44 nursing students was evaluated presimulation and prior to giving medications in the clinical setting. Two-way analysis of variance for repeated measures indicated no significant differences between high-fidelity simulation, low-fidelity simulation, or video training groups. However, high-and low-fidelity simulation led to decreased anxiety in the clinical setting, whereas video training led to greater anxiety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Innovative nursing education methods became essential due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Immersive Virtual Reality (VR) education offers nursing students authentic patient encounters in a realistic simulated environment. A pilot study was conducted to identify nursing education clinical scenarios that should be developed for immersive VR and to assess students' perception of immersive VR in education. We formed a focus group composed of nursing faculty (N=10) with expertise in the clinical setting and simulation. Faculty participants identified important topics and aspects of immersive VR scenarios during focus group discussions. We assessed nursing student participants' (N=11) perception of immersive VR in nursing education using a VR game (Anatomy Explorer 2020). Most student participants indicated that a VR game was immersive and realistic and recommended using immersive VR to learn clinical nursing skills. Realistic immersive VR clinical education scenarios could result in effective clinical nursing education., (©2022 AMIA - All rights reserved.)