A systematic review of studies evaluating immersive virtual reality applications to support nursing education for nursing students

Objectives: Virtual reality (VR)-based interventions are widely used in education. However, it is necessary to systematically examine the outcomes of immersive virtual reality (IVR) applications in nursing education, clarifying their impact on knowledge, skills, and attitudes among nursing students. Methods: This review utilized the methodological framework of the Joanna Briggs Institute. A search was conducted of the Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, CINAHL (Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature), Web of Science, and Scopus databases for the period from 2013 to 2023. The Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol informed the review and screening of the literature. The articles were assessed for eligibility via first screening by abstract review, followed by a full-text review. The first two authors reviewed the articles, assessing qualification for inclusion and evaluating the content. Data from eligible articles were analyzed and synthesized to answer the research question. Results: Of the initial 667 articles, 11 articles met the inclusion criteria for final analysis. The findings indicate that IVR applications in clinical practice positively impact nursing students, as IVR provides effective results in increasing their knowledge. Nursing educators should avoid comparing the results of students’ IVR practice with classical clinical practice. Nursing students should continue to engage in clinical practice, as it remains an essential aspect of their education. While technological applications such as IVR may be useful, they should not be used as a substitute for clinical practice. This review highlights the reported outcomes and benefits of clinical teaching methods in nursing. Conclusion: A limited number of articles were found that evaluated the education of nursing students in IVR applications. The analyzed articles found that nurse educators experienced meaningful knowledge exchange with students after IVR implementation. Further research is needed to identify effective outcomes in clinical education. It is essential to advance science to transform clinical education and use it more consciously to teach practical thinking and decision-making about patient care.