The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality in Enhancing Clinical Skill Training for Nurses: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract

Background: The increasing complexity of patient care necessitates heightened clinical competence among nurses. Traditional training methods often fall short of adequately preparing nursing professionals for real-world challenges. Virtual reality (VR) technology has emerged as a promising tool in nursing education, offering immersive simulations that may enhance learning experiences and clinical skills.

Methods: This systematic review analyzed literature from eight databases, including CENTRAL, CINAHL, Embase, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science. The focus was on evaluating the efficacy of VR training in improving cognitive, emotional, and psychomotor outcomes among nursing staff, as categorized by Bloom's taxonomy.

Results: The findings indicated significant improvements across all three domains of Bloom’s taxonomy due to VR training. Enhanced cognitive capabilities, emotional competencies, and psychomotor skills were observed, along with increased learner satisfaction. Moderator analysis revealed no significant differences in outcomes based on immersion levels, study design, or intervention context, suggesting consistent effectiveness of VR across various settings.

Conclusion: This review underscores the potential of VR as an effective tool for enhancing the clinical skills of nursing personnel. While the findings highlight the benefits of VR training, there remains a need for further research, particularly randomized controlled trials with larger sample sizes to validate these effects and address methodological limitations. Integrating VR into nursing education could lead to improved patient care quality and satisfaction.