Research Paper on "Virtual Reality Simulation and Nursing"

Research Paper 8 pages (2802 words) Sources: 8

[EXCERPT] . . . .

"Blended and interactive learning by means of serious games may be applied to train both technical and non-technical skills relevant to the surgical field. Games developed or used for this purpose need validation before integration into surgical teaching curricula" (Graafland, Schraagen & Schijven, 2012, p. 1322).

Any changes the evaluator asks for will be discussed with the class in terms of convenience and ease of transition for students. Anything positive the evaluator emphasizes in the assessment will enforce already established teaching strategies. These strategies will enable confidence in my delivery of curriculum. Things that get changed will be noted and later interpreted in a report completed at the end of each semester highlighting the positive and negative feedback.

C2.

There are advantages to gaming/simulation approaches for nursing education. Students may acquire new modes of learning through using pictures, communication, and teamwork. Traditional typically involves writing and reading without much use of visual aids and listening. Although instructors carry on lectures, it does not pique the interest as someone involved in a team building exercise that involves carrying out a simulated medical scenario. It offers various levels of learning at a pace the student and instructor can control.

Another advantage is engagement and excitement. People have fun playing games. When students feel what they are learning is fun and less tedious, they are more willing to pursue learning objectives than when they dissatisfied and bored. The level of active participation that games require from users promotes students to learn far more than with traditional methods.

C3.

There are however, drawback to using VRS. The first drawback is cost. It is expensive to design, run, and maintain a game. There may be glitches in the software. Students may not have the hardware to run such an application. Schools may not have the budget to pay for such a feature. Anything involving technology can be expensive.

The second disadvantage is the additional training required to continually run games like these for students. Instructors have to learn how to operate these games, fine-tune them for students, and individual support and feedback. This process may be time consuming. It can also detract from the curriculum if students become confused with the gaming interface and choose not to participate.

C4.

Research suggests students using VRS perform better than traditional methods. This may be because they are not just studying theory. They learn how to communicate with games. They learn how to share ideas and problem solve. VRS offers students a way to think outside of the box and practice what will be expected of them in the future as a licensed nurse.

VRS in classes enable the generation of 3D models that students may use to perform virtual surgeries, procedures; they otherwise would not have the access to regularly in real life. There is a lot of hands-on experience that medical students, nursing students in particular, lack until they are licensed. VRS offers an opportunity to practice real-life scenarios without fear of hurting someone. A place that enables making mistakes with zero consequences causes students to grow and gain confidence.

C5.

Aside from 3D models and communication through gaming platforms, VRS will pave the way for student education through scenario training. Games have grown to include more depth, higher-level graphics, and more options of gameplay. Emergencies that people can only practice based on theory and some evidence-based research can never be as useful as a person actually experiencing. As 3D technology and holograms, continue improving so will the implementation of virtual scenarios in healthcare. Students will have access to scenes where people are dying, infected by a contagious pathogen.

Here students will attempt to learn what steps to take to reduce the outbreak and contamination rate. They will learn what to look for in sick patients and how to spot these diseases earlier. The future of VRS points to the ability to apply actual experience to virtual reality.

The use of electronic technology is quickly growing in healthcare and the classroom. An emergent computer technology approach for nursing education is use of virtual reality simulation. Since computer-based 3D educational tools like games and VRS simulates real-life patient scenarios and experiences within a risk-free environment, it permits for repeated practice sessions, requiring clinical decision making, exposing students to varied patient conditions, and providing immediate feedback. An article by Jensen & McNally explain how VRS may increase knowledge for nursing students across a variety of areas like intravenous catheter insertion.

In addition, a project to explore readiness of nursing faculty at one major Midwestern university for the use of virtual reality simulation as a computerized teaching strategy is described where faculty thought virtual reality simulation would increase students' knowledge of an intravenous line insertion procedure. Faculty who practiced intravenous catheter insertion via virtual reality simulation expressed a wide range of learning experiences from using virtual reality simulation that is congruent with the literature regarding the barriers to student learning. Innovative teaching strategies, such as virtual reality simulation, address barriers of increasing patient acuity, high student-to-faculty ratio, patient safety concerns from faculty, and student anxiety and can offer rapid feedback to students. (Jensen & McNally, 2012, p. 312).

Thus, for any needs like hands-on application of theory and evidence-based practice, I would use a VRS like a game.

Conclusion

The education of healthcare professionals like nurses is of significant importance for patient safety and quality healthcare. In some health associated professions, training and education have to be practiced throughout the entire work period aside from school years. The utilization of new technology such as VR or virtual reality as well as e-learning brings new potentials with substantial improvement in learning results. Organizations like Birmingham City University and Duke University Medical Center have recently begun offering games and virtual reality environments for students to use for learning. Although some people may not like the lack of interaction with people that virtual reality diminishes, people like the convenience and easy access to information. Practical application of information within a virtual environment allows people to execute theory as well as understand from errors made. Virtual worlds can have potential in offering nursing students social networking options as well as learning opportunities using immersive and collaborative learning. "If nursing educators, are to stay, abreast of contemporary learning opportunities an exploration of the potential benefits of, virtual, worlds and their possibilities is needed" (Green, Wyllie & Jackson, 2014, p. 135).

References

Cioffi, J. (2013). Perceptual learning and the development of expertise: A discussion paper. Nurse Education Today, 33(2), 83-86. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2012.08.002

Farra, S., Miller, E., Timm, N., & Schafer, J. (2013). Improved Training for Disasters Using 3-D Virtual Reality Simulation. Western Journal Of Nursing Research, 35(5), 655-671. doi:10.1177/0193945912471735

Graafland, M., Schraagen, J., & Schijven, M. (2012). Systematic review of serious games for medical education and surgical skills training. British Journal Of Surgery, 99(10), 1322-1330. doi:10.1002/bjs.8819

Green, J., Wyllie, A., & Jackson, D. (2014). Virtual worlds: A new frontier for nurse education?. Collegian, 21(2), 135-141. doi:10.1016/j.colegn.2013.11.004

Jensen, C., & McNally, D. (2012). Virtual Reality Simulation: Using Three-dimensional Technology to Teach Nursing Students. Computers, Informatics, Nursing, 30(6), 312.

LeFlore, J., Anderson, M., Zielke, M., Nelson, K., Thomas, P., Hardee, G., & John, L. (2012). Can a Virtual Patient Trainer Teach Student Nurses How to Save Lives -- Teaching Nursing Students About Pediatric Respiratory Diseases.Simulation In Healthcare: The Journal Of The Society For Simulation In Healthcare, 7(1), 10-17. doi:10.1097/sih.0b013e31823652de

Ricciardi, F., & De Paolis, L. (2014). A Comprehensive Review of Serious Games in Health Professions. International Journal Of Computer Games Technology,2014, 1-11. doi:10.1155/2014/787968

Ricciardi, F., & De Paolis, L. (2014). A Comprehensive Review of Serious Games in Health Professions. International Journal Of Computer Games Technology,2014, 1-11. doi:10.1155/2014/787968

Saunder, L., & Berridge, E.… READ MORE

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