The Effects of Virtual Reality Learning on nursing student non-technical skills development

: A Quasi-Experimental Study

Abstract

Background:
Technology in education is used widely globally. High-fidelity simulation and virtual reality are
commonly used in healthcare education. These methods provide a safe and protected learning
environment for students to practice their clinical skills. The current study is the first study to
compare the effects of two teaching methods on the non-technical skills development of nursing
students. Both kinds of teaching methods have been found to support particular non-technical skills
development in previous studies. Nevertheless, no research has yet to compare the two different
methods directly.
Method:
A quasi-experimental, pretest-posttest, non-equivalent waitlist control study design was employed
in this study. It aims to explore the effects of technology-assisted teaching methods on nursing
students’ non-technical skills development.
Results:
180 participants completed the quantitative questionnaires; 105 were assigned to the intervention
group (VR) and 75 to the control group (SIM). The intervention group proved that there are
significant improvements in developing non-technical skills compared to the control group. There
were significant improvements in various non-technical skills after the VR teaching, such as
situational awareness and communication skills (VR vs SIM: t=2.963, p<0.01), decision-making
skills(VR vs SIM: t=2.849, p<0.01), and self-confidence in learning (VR vs SIM: t=3.156, p<0.01).
However, no significant differences between the groups regarding cooperation and team skills
were found.
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Thirty-five participants were invited to join the focus group interview. The focus group interview
findings also provided insights into the positive learning experience associated with VR training.
Four main themes emerged from the interviews:
1) The virtual environments used in the VR training closely matched the characteristics of
real clinical settings.
2) The VR systems provided learners with opportunities to apply theoretical concepts to
practical clinical scenarios.
3) The VR systems supported the development of non-technical skills among learners.
4) The gaming-based approach of the VR training provided opportunities for peer learning
through observation and engagement.
Importantly, communication skills and teamwork showed improvement following the simulation
sessions.
Conclusions:
This study discussed the roles of virtual reality (VR) and simulation teaching methods in
developing non-technical skills among nursing students. The research findings suggested that, with
the authentic and immersive design, VR provides a unique learning environment that can enhance
students’ situation awareness skills, learning satisfaction, and self-confidence. At the same time,
simulation training remains crucial in developing communication and teamwork abilities.
The study recommends combining various technology-assisted teaching methods to provide
nursing students with a comprehensive and effective education. It also underscores the potential
advantages of integrating VR and simulation training into nursing curricula to enhance student
learning outcomes.

Date of Award	10 Dec 2024
Original language	English
Awarding Institution	University of Bristol
Supervisor	Paul A Howard-Jones (Supervisor) & Ioanna Palaiologou (Supervisor)