Remote Simulation-Based Learning Using a Mixed Reality Device: Perspectives of Nursing Educators and Undergraduate Nursing Students

Abstract

Nurse educators across the globe are exploring different simulation methodologies and tools to prepare nursing students for the challenges of the real clinical environment. There has been an expansion of virtual reality and wearable technology-based simulation tools in contemporary nursing education pedagogies, particularly through the COVID-19 pandemic. This descriptive qualitative study explored the perceptions and experiences of nursing educators and undergraduate nursing students (Year 2 Bachelor of Nursing) using a mixed reality wearable holographic device as a simulation tool. The remote simulation experience was live-streamed by a nurse educator, using the mixed reality headset, to the students’ mobile camera devices. Prebriefing and debriefing took place online via the Zoom meeting platform. The research was undertaken at a tertiary educational institute in Aotearoa New Zealand during the COVID-19 pandemic. Five students and four nurse educators participated in two separate focus groups, with and one further interview with one student, to explore their experiences of the simulation. Three key themes emerged after thematic analysis of the transcribed qualitative data: 1) benefits of the simulation experience; 2) the associated challenges; and 3) recommendations for further improvements. Despite the restrictions on face-to-face learning at the time, students valued the remote online simulation learning experience, which provided engaging, visual, and realistic simulation to develop clinical reasoning skills in a safe environment. Provision of robust training to both educators and students was found to be key to addressing the technological barriers. The simulation technology was considered to be most beneficial when leveraged as a complementary tool to traditional pedagogies and provides opportunity for distance learners. There is room for collaboration between nursing faculty and technology developers to advance the interactive features of simulation devices and programmes, and tailor the simulation scenarios to the Aotearoa New Zealand context. Te reo Māori translation Te Akoranga Whaihanga mā te Whakamahi i Tētahi Pūrere Ao Mariko Hanumi Ngā Whakaaro o ngā Kaiwhakaako Tapuhi me ngā Ākonga Tapuhi Paetahi Ngā Ariā Matua Kei te tūhura ngā kaiwhakaako tapuhi puta noa i te ao i ētahi tikanga me ētahi taputapu whaihanga huhua hei whakangungu i ngā ākonga tapuhi mō ngā wero o te ao tiaki tūroro tūturu. Kua puāwai te puta mai o ētahi taputapu ao mariko, taputapu hangarau, ka taea hoki te whakamau hei kākahu, i roto i ngā tikanga whakaako tapuhi, otirā i roto i te mate urutā o COVID-19 i horapa ēnei mahi i te ao. Nā tēnei mātai inekounga whakaahua i tūhura ngā whakaaro me ngā wheako o ngā kaiwhakaako tapuhi me ngā ākonga tapuhi paetahi (Tau 2, Tohu Paetahi mō Te Tapuhitanga) mā te whakamahi i tētahi taputapu ata kōroto ka taea te whakamau hei taputapu whaihanga. I pāho mataoratia tēnei wheako whaihanga mamao e tētahi kaiwhakaako tapuhi, mā te whakamahi pokiupoko ao mariko hanumi ki ngā pūrere kāmera pūkoro a ngā ākonga. I haere ētahi tohutohu i mua, tohutohu i muri hoki mā te ipurangi, mā te pūhara hui o Zoom. I kawea ngā rangahau ki tētahi whare akoranga mātauranga matua ki Aotearoa i roto i te mate urutā o COVID-19. E rima ngā ākonga, e whā hoki ngā kaiwhakaako tapuhi i wahi wāhi ki ētahi rōpū arotahi e rua motuhake, me tētahi atu uiuinga ki te ākonga kotahi, hei tūhura i ō rātou wheako mō te whaihanga. E toru ngā tāhuhu matua i puta i muri i te tātaritanga tāhuhu o ngā raraunga inekounga kua tuhia: 1) ngā painga o te wheako whaihanga; 2) ngā pīkauranga i te taha; me 3) ngā tohutohu mō ngā whakatikatika e hiahiatia ana. Ahakoa ngā here mō te wā ako ā-kanohi i taua wā, he rawe ki ngā ākonga te wheako akoranga whaihanga tuihono mamao, nā te mea nā konā i uru ki tētahi taruna whakahihiko, ā-kanohi, hāngai ki te ao tūturu, ki a rātou, hei whakapakari i ō rātou pūkenga whiriwhiri tikanga tiaki tūroro i tētahi horopaki haumaru. I kitea ko te whakangungu hōhonu mā tēnei mea te kaiwhakaako me te ākonga anō tētahi mea taketake mō te kake i ngā maioro hangarau. I whakaarotia i whai painga nui rawa ngā hangarau whaihanga me i haere tahi hei taputapu āpiti mō ngā tikanga whakaako tuku iho, ā, he whāinga wāhi tēnei mō te hunga ako mamao. Ka taea te kawe whakamua i ngā tikanga tauwhitiwhiti o ngā pūrere me ngā hōtaka whaihanga mā ngā tari whakaako tapuhi me ngā kaiwaihanga hangarau, kia whakahāngaitia ngā kitenga whaihanga ki te horopaki o Aotearoa. Ngā Ariā Matua te akoranga tapuhi; te akoranga tuihono; te akoranga paetahi; inekounga; whaihanga; ao mariko