Using Augmented Reality to Enhance Nursing Education

Abstract

Augmented and Virtual Reality are proliferating throughout daily life. Everyday utilities, such as Google Maps, deploy Augmented Reality (AR) to improve the user experience and increase its effectiveness. Similarly, Augmented and Virtual Reality have been used in the educational domain, where these applications have been shown to improve the learning curve and retention. In this study, AR is proposed as an innovative method to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of the education of nursing students. We propose to introduce this innovative technology in the education of future nurses. Within this study the researchers use augmented reality (AR) to help nursing students learn about physical assessment techniques for the heart and the lungs. Researchers have demonstrated increased memory retention while using AR [14][15]. In this study, we provide a holographic overlay including the internal organs heart, ribcage, and lungs to increase the understanding of accurate placement of devices required for assessing cardiac and respiratory issues using anatomical landmarks. In addition, the visual aspects are supported with audio sound tracks to enhance learning. The ability to project images accurately placed onto real world physical objects using AR headsets could lead to increased retention and deeper understanding leading to precision performance related to techniques in physical assessment of the patient.