Effectiveness of immersive virtual reality training in nasogastric tube feeding education: A randomized controlled trial

Abstract

BackgroundGiven rapidly aging societies worldwide, improving the quality of long-term care through the cultivation of immense nursing assistants is critical. Accordingly, developing a satisfactory learning model to improve the learning outcomes of nursing assistant students is imperative. ObjectiveThis study tested the hypothesis that students in long-term care departments who underwent immersive virtual reality (IVR) training would have significantly (1) higher levels of knowledge about the skills of nasogastric tube feeding, (2) higher learning motivations (i.e., intrinsic and extrinsic motivations, task values, and self-efficacy), (3) lower cognitive load, and (4) higher satisfaction than a control group. DesignA randomized controlled trial with pretest and posttest design. Settings and participantsWe randomly assigned 107 students from the long-term care departments of two universities in central Taiwan to the IVR group (n = 54) or the control group (n = 53). MethodsThe IVR group learned the procedure of nasogastric tube feeding through IVR, whereas the control group watched a 15-min 2D video. The participants filled pretest and posttest questionnaires on nasogastric tube feeding knowledge. After the experiment was completed, the participants answered another questionnaire on their learning motivations, cognitive load, and learning satisfaction. ResultsThe nasogastric tube feeding knowledge improved significantly in the IVR and control groups after the intervention, with no significant between-group differences. The IVR group scored significantly higher than the control group on extrinsic goals, task value, and satisfaction; nevertheless, they also experienced a significantly higher cognitive load. ConclusionsBoth the IVR training and the traditional 2D video improved the learning outcomes of the nursing assistant students. The students were more satisfied with IVR than with the conventional learning model and indicated that IVR inspired their extrinsic learning motivations and perceived task value. However, IVR incurred a high cognitive load, which must be addressed in future course designs.