In a groundbreaking initiative, a Minnesota academic medical center has successfully integrated immersive virtual reality (IVR) into its nurse residency program, showcasing the technology’s potential as a powerful tool for feedback and assessment of clinical competencies. This innovative approach not only enhances the learning experience for new nurses but also aids in their transition to clinical practice.
M Health Fairview, located in Minneapolis, served as the pilot site for this pioneering IVR program, developed through a collaboration between the University of Minnesota School of Nursing and Oxford Medical Simulation (OMS). The aim was to bridge the gap between theoretical knowledge and practical application in clinical settings. The program includes clinical scenarios and incorporates assessment analytics and artificial intelligence (AI) tools within the VR platform.
Unlike traditional simulations, IVR immerses users in a three-dimensional digital environment. Participants wear headsets and use hand controls, creating a personal and psychologically engaging experience.
The “Competency Assessment of New Registered Nurses Using Immersive Virtual Reality” study outlines how the program utilized Meta Oculus Quest 2 devices and two simulations from OMS to enhance the onboarding process for nurses across various clinical departments. Two well-established competency frameworks—the Creighton Competency Evaluation Instrument and the American Association of Colleges of Nurses Essentials—are embedded within the OMS platform, allowing for individual and aggregate performance analysis during each simulation. This research is featured in the Technology Today section of AACN Advanced Critical Care.
Co-author Cynthia Sherraden Bradley, PhD, RN, CNE, CHSE, ANEF, an assistant professor and director of simulation at the nursing school, emphasized the significance of this transition for new nurses. A smooth transition to clinical practice for new nurses is key for both patient safety and staff retention and immersive virtual reality can provide a safe space for new nurses to refine their skills,” she explained. “In addition, the AI-driven system has the potential to help nurse educators assess nursing competencies and provide objective feedback to new nurses.”
The IVR sessions included 27 newly licensed registered nurses hired between August and October 2023, representing various clinical departments, primarily inpatient care settings. Each session began with a briefing that covered learning objectives and provided an orientation to the Meta Oculus Quest 2 headset, hand controls, and the OMS simulation platform.
Participants engaged in two scenarios: the first focused on caring for a patient admitted to an adult medical-surgical unit with pyelonephritis, a kidney inflammation caused by a urinary tract infection. The second scenario involved continuing care for the now-stable patient while also addressing a new patient directly admitted from a provider’s office who was experiencing high blood glucose levels due to financial barriers to insulin.
Immediately following each simulation, participants were divided into two groups for a 40-minute guided reflective debriefing led by instructors.
Researchers analyzed aggregate data from the OMS dashboard using the two competency frameworks. The AI-driven analytics allowed for swift assessment of each nurse’s actions and decisions during the scenarios, highlighting the potential of IVR in evaluating nursing competencies.
This innovative study was made possible through a grant from the American Nurse Foundation.
AACN Advanced Critical Care is a quarterly peer-reviewed journal that provides in-depth articles designed for experienced critical care and acute care clinicians, advanced practice nurses, and clinical and academic educators. Each issue features symposium topics, insightful articles, and columns relevant to critical and progressive care clinicians.
To access the full issue, visit the AACN Advanced Critical Care website at http://acc.aacnjournals.org/.
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