VR Tool Assists Nursing Students Find their Voice

Bodyswaps and Meta Immersive Learning provided the Immersive Soft Skills Education Grant. The first beneficiaries are The College of New Jersey nursing students. The grant will enable these students to hone their humble practice using various virtual reality (VR) resources. The college was among 106 institutions worldwide to benefit from the grant.

The Bodyswaps Virtual Reality Software

Nursing students will benefit from the Bodyswaps virtual reality (VR) software library. The software will enhance their communication skills with patients, their families, medical colleagues, and potential employers. The program comes complete with virtual reality hardware and software. The program provides the students three months of unlimited access to the entire Bodyswaps soft skills learning library.

Beneficiaries will gain exposure to a diverse selection of practice scenarios. These scenarios include conflict resolution, job interviews, and assisting patients who are suffering from anxiety as well as depression.

The program’s main objective is to increase access to immersive learning technologies in education. This aids students in acquiring the necessary soft skills required to excel in a competitive global job market. Moreover, the grant serves as a research project headed by Thomas More University of Applied Sciences, utilizing data collected from students and staff to showcase the immense potential of metaverse technologies in the education sector.

This software marks the newest addition to The Department of Nursing’s Simulation Center, commonly known as “sim lab” on campus. The lab provides conventional simulation tools, such as mannequins and medical monitoring equipment, which help students learn how to care for patients. Students get to wear headsets for a 360-degree immersive experience in a patient’s room. The room contains all the complete tools found in a real hospital setting.

The Role of VR

Virtual reality creates a secure environment for exhibiting empathy without any criticism. Nursing students can practice essential scenarios, which come with feedback regarding their performance and areas that require improvement.

According to Chelsea Lebo, coordinator of TCNJ’s Simulation and Clinical Learning Resource Center, “A lot of what we’re seeing is that students, in general, have trouble communicating with each other and with patients.”

Lebo added that they have been striving to incorporate various simulations tailored to develop communication skills, as it is a crucial aspect of any healthcare profession. According to Lebo, nursing students must practice handling challenging conversations that may cause stress.

Subsequently, they can enhance their skills by engaging with standardized patients, actual people trained as actors, in simulation scenarios that mirror real-life situations.

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