Shaping the nursing workforce through virtual reality: Pitfalls and possibilities of implementation in a nursing curriculum

BACKGROUND: Nursing workforce concerns are shaping how colleges and schools of nursing effectively implement teaching strategies like simulation. With the growning nursing shortage, more chronic and complex conditions, and situations for patients arising, the education of student nurses must adapt to help this growning concern. Virtual reality simulation (VR-Sim) is a modality considered for nursing education, and it shows benefits in the literature. However, little is known about the implementation process within a nursing program. PURPOSE: This paper aims to illustrate the process of implementing VR-Sim in an undergraduate nursing program. METHODS FOR CURRICULAR ENHANCEMENT: A grant funded by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) provided the VR-Sim modality. Student nurses were provided with concurrent experiences in VR-Sim and traditional simulation modalities, such as high-fidelity human patient simulators and standardized patient encounters. DISCUSSION: The 184 student nurses engaged in the VR-Sim experience provided mixed evaluations for its use, with some stating the VR-Sim was beneficial, while others had concerns. The pitfalls and possibilities of implementing the VR-Sim experience are addressed, and insights on the implementation process and future considerations are offered. CONCLUSION: Continued development of VR-Sim is needed to provide this modality for nursing education.