Virtual Reality Skills Training Trends in Nurse Practitioner Education

Abstract

Technology developments change education strategies. Incorporating virtual reality into lesson plans allows education to focus not only on learning knowledge but also on knowledge and skills integration. In simulation education, learning environments are designed to approximate actual clinical situations, allowing students to practice skills in virtual clinical situations continuously. In addition, clinical lecturers may observe the students' practice process and provide feedback. Furthermore, through experiencing and practicing clinical procedures, students gain critical clinical judgment, skills, and teamwork operation competences, which may be applied in the real world. In Taiwan, the majority of nurse practitioner training is implemented in hospitals, and clinical training is done using hands-on and face-to-face teaching strategies within a mentorship framework. Because of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, this hospital-based training model has been significantly challenged. However, this represents an opportunity to migrate the nurse practitioner training model toward technology-based simulation education. Developing more virtual-reality-based lesson plans centered on clinical situations may help students complete training that is normally conducted in hospital teaching environments. Through repetitive practice in virtual reality settings, students may obtain comprehensive knowledge and clinical skills that will help relieve the subsequent stress of clinical practicum work and promote care quality and patient safety.