CompletedNot Applicable

Effect of Virtual Reality Simulation on Nursing Students' Knowledge and Skill Performance in Respiratory Physical Examination: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Turkey (Türkiye)76 participantsStarted 2024-05-20

Plain-language summary

Aim To compare the effects of immersive virtual reality (I-VR) and peer-assisted small-group practice on nursing students' knowledge, skill performance, and performance time in respiratory system physical examination. Background Respiratory system physical examination is a fundamental yet difficult-to-teach clinical skill in nursing education. Although I-VR has increasingly been used in physical examination teaching, existing studies have largely focused on limited examination components, most commonly inspection or auscultation. Evidence remains limited on how respiratory system physical examination can be taught as a holistic and structured clinical process within an I-VR environment. Design A single-blind, parallel-group, randomized controlled trial with a pre-test/post-test design. Methods Second-year nursing students from a university participated in the study. Participants were randomized to either the I-VR group or the peer-assisted small-group practice group. Data were collected using a knowledge test, a skill checklist, performance time measurement, and a technology acceptance questionnaire. Analyses included t-tests, chi-square tests, Pearson correlation analyses, and frequency analyses. Results Knowledge and skill scores improved in both groups, but the increase was significantly greater in the I-VR group (p \<0.001). Performance time was longer in the I-VR group (p =0.01). Students also rated the I-VR simulation highly in terms of feasibility and usability. Conclusions A systematically designed I-VR approach may be a useful instructional option for teaching respiratory system physical examination as a holistic, multi-step clinical skill in undergraduate nursing education.

Who can participate

Sex

ALL

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AI-rewrites the medical criteria so a patient or caregiver can understand them. Always confirm with the trial site.

Inclusion Criteria for the Study The student must: * Voluntarily participate in the study, * Not have difficulty understanding and speaking Turkish, * Not have refractive errors that can affect depth perception, such as amblyopia (lazy eye), anisometropia (different refractive errors of the two eyes), and strabismus (crossed eyes) (Chan et al., 2023). (The individual's self-declaration was used to determine refractive errors. Individuals with these refractive errors were not included in the study because focal eye adjustment was required, but this adjustment was not supported on the Oculus 2 device. Individuals with other refractive errors were able to use the application with their glasses). * Have a general academic achievement score between 2.00 and 4.00, * Have taken the Health Assessment course for the first time in the 2023-2024 academic year and passed this course with at least a CC grade (CC indicates minimum success; grades below indicate conditional passing). Exclusion criteria from the study: The student must: * Have a high school, associate's degree, or bachelor's degree in a health-related field, * Be retaking the Health Assessment course (code HEM 205). Criteria for removal from the study: The student must: * Want to withdraw from the study, * Not attend the theoretical thoracic and pulmonary physical examination course, * Not watch the thoracic and pulmonary physical examination demonstration videos, * Not attend the practical lessons, * Not fill out an…

Questions worth asking your doctor

Bring these to your next appointment. They're a starting point for a shared conversation — not a sign you qualify or a recommendation to enrol.

1This trial was training nurses using virtual reality rather than testing a treatment on patients — does this research have any direct impact on how my own care or physical examinations might be delivered?
2Since this study is already completed and was measuring nurse knowledge and skill checklists, is there any published data from it that shows whether VR-trained nurses perform differently during real patient assessments I might encounter?
3If nurses at this facility were trained using the VR method studied in this trial, how confident are you that their respiratory examination skills meet the same standard as traditionally trained nurses?
4Are there any implications from this type of nurse training research that I should be aware of when thinking about the quality of physical examinations I'll receive during my care?

Generated to help you prepare — always confirm anything about your own eligibility and care with the study team and your doctor.

Questions for the trial coordinator

The trial coordinator is the person who runs the study day to day. These cover the practical side — logistics, costs, and what taking part would actually mean for your life. The study team confirms whether you meet the criteria; these are questions to ask, not a sign you qualify.

1What does taking part actually involve week to week — how many visits, where, and how long does each one take?
2What costs are covered by the study, and what might I have to pay for myself, including travel, parking, or time off work?
3What happens during screening, and what happens if the study team confirms I don't meet the criteria after those tests?
4Who pays for the scans, blood work, and other tests the trial requires — the study, my insurance, or me?
5How will being in the trial affect my regular care, and will my own doctor stay informed and involved?
6Can I leave the trial at any point if I change my mind, and what would happen to my care if I do?

A starting point for the conversation — always confirm anything about your own eligibility, costs, and care with the study team and your doctor.

What they're measuring

Knowledge Test

Timeframe: Skill levels will be assessed seven days before the intervention (pre-test) and seven days after the intervention (post-test).

Skill Checklist

Timeframe: Knowledge levels will be evaluated seven days prior to the intervention (pre-test) and seven days following the intervention (post-test)

Trial details

NCT IDNCT06536361

SponsorGazi University

Sponsor typeOTHER

Study typeINTERVENTIONAL

Primary completion2024-06-14

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