Effectiveness of virtual reality in nursing education: a systematic review and meta-analysis

Eun-Young Kim Hyeon-Young Kim

22 Februari 2023

Several studies have examined the effect of virtual reality (VR) education. However, they are mostly systematic reviews or meta-analyses focusing on doctors and residents; they fail to consider VR medical education for a broader range of learners. We evaluated the effectiveness of VR education for health professionals and identified the essential features of education. Randomized controlled trials published from January 2000 to April 2020 were identified from PubMed, Embase, CINAHL, and the Cochrane Library (n = 299). The randomized studies’ bias risk was evaluated using Cochrane’s Risk of Bias tool. Meta- and subgroup-analyses were conducted using Review Manager 5.4.1. The overall effect was measured using Hedges’ g and determined using Z-statistics (p < 0.05). Heterogeneity was assessed using X2 and I2 statistics. Among the identified records, 25 studies were selected through systematic review, and 18 studies were included in the meta-analysis. We identified a significant improvement in the VR group’s skill and satisfaction levels, and that less immersive VR was more efficacious for knowledge outcomes than fully immersive VR. Maximizing the advantages of VR will increase learning opportunities and complement the limited clinical experience, thus improving medical services. A systematic and efficient VR medical education program will greatly enhance learners’ core competencies.

George Manias Mohy Uddin D. Kyriazis + 6 lainnya

1 Januari 2023

Due to the challenges and restrictions posed by COVID-19 pandemic, technology and digital solutions played an important role in the rendering of necessary healthcare services, notably in medical education and clinical care. The aim of this scoping review was to analyze and sum up the most recent developments in Virtual Reality (VR) use for therapeutic care and medical education, with a focus on training medical students and patients. We identified 3743 studies, of which 28 were ultimately selected for the review. The search strategy followed the most recent Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analysis for scoping review (PRISMA-ScR) guidelines. 11 studies (39.3%) in the field of medical education assessed different domains, such as knowledge, skills, attitudes, confidence, self-efficacy, and empathy. 17 studies (60.7%) focused on clinical care, particularly in the areas of mental health, and rehabilitation. Among these, 13 studies also investigated user experiences and feasibility in addition to clinical outcomes. Overall, the findings of our review reported considerable improvements in terms of medical education and clinical care. VR systems were also found to be safe, engaging, and beneficial by the studies’ participants. There were huge variations in studies with respect to the study designs, VR contents, devices, evaluation methods, and treatment periods. In the future, studies may focus on creating definitive guidelines that can help in improving patient care further. Hence, there is an urgent need for researchers to collaborate with the VR industry and healthcare professionals to foster a better understanding of contents and simulation development.

Norbert Graf Marcel Meyerheim Marvin Mergen

23 Juli 2024

Background In medical education, new technologies like Virtual Reality (VR) are increasingly integrated to enhance digital learning. Originally used to train surgical procedures, now use cases also cover emergency scenarios and non-technical skills like clinical decision-making. This scoping review aims to provide an overview of VR in medical education, including requirements, advantages, disadvantages, as well as evaluation methods and respective study results to establish a foundation for future VR integration into medical curricula. Methods This review follows the updated JBI methodology for scoping reviews and adheres to the respective PRISMA extension. We included reviews in English or German language from 2012 to March 2022 that examine the use of VR in education for medical and nursing students, registered nurses, and qualified physicians. Data extraction focused on medical specialties, subjects, curricula, technical/didactic requirements, evaluation methods and study outcomes as well as advantages and disadvantages of VR. Results A total of 763 records were identified. After eligibility assessment, 69 studies were included. Nearly half of them were published between 2021 and 2022, predominantly from high-income countries. Most reviews focused on surgical training in laparoscopic and minimally invasive procedures (43.5%) and included studies with qualified physicians as participants (43.5%). Technical, didactic and organisational requirements were highlighted and evaluations covering performance time and quality, skills acquisition and validity, often showed positive outcomes. Accessibility, repeatability, cost-effectiveness, and improved skill development were reported as advantages, while financial challenges, technical limitations, lack of scientific evidence, and potential user discomfort were cited as disadvantages. Discussion Despite a high potential of VR in medical education, there are mandatory requirements for its integration into medical curricula addressing challenges related to finances, technical limitations, and didactic aspects. The reported lack of standardised and validated guidelines for evaluating VR training must be overcome to enable high-quality evidence for VR usage in medical education. Interdisciplinary teams of software developers, AI experts, designers, medical didactics experts and end users are required to design useful VR courses. Technical issues and compromised realism can be mitigated by further technological advancements.

Diego Fabián Vique López T. Tene Paulina Elizabeth Valverde Aguirre + 2 lainnya

14 Maret 2024

Objective This umbrella review aims to ascertain the extent to which immersive Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) technologies improve specific competencies in healthcare professionals within medical education and training, in contrast to traditional educational methods or no intervention. Methods Adhering to PRISMA guidelines and the PICOS approach, a systematic literature search was conducted across major databases to identify studies examining the use of VR and AR in medical education. Eligible studies were screened and categorized based on the PICOS criteria. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were employed to analyze the data, supplemented by the Fisher test for small sample sizes or specific conditions. Analysis The analysis involved cross-tabulating the stages of work (Development and Testing, Results, Evaluated) and variables of interest (Performance, Engagement, Performance and Engagement, Effectiveness, no evaluated) against the types of technologies used. Chi-square tests assessed the associations between these categorical variables. Results A total of 28 studies were included, with the majority reporting increased or positive effects from the use of immersive technologies. VR was the most frequently studied technology, particularly in the “Performance” and “Results” stages. The chi-square analysis, with a Pearson value close to significance (p = 0.052), suggested a non-significant trend toward the association of VR with improved outcomes. Conclusions The results indicate that VR is a prevalent tool in the research landscape of medical education technologies, with a positive trend toward enhancing educational outcomes. However, the statistical analysis did not reveal a significant association, suggesting the need for further research with larger sample sizes. This review underscores the potential of immersive technologies to enhance medical training yet calls for more rigorous studies to establish definitive evidence of their efficacy.

H. Mäkinen E. Haavisto Sara Havola + 1 lainnya

4 Januari 2023

To describe nursing students' user experiences' (UX) regarding highly immersive virtual reality (VR) simulation with head mounted display used for learning.