Authors: Jessica Madiraca PhD, RN, CCRN-K, Kathleen Schell PhD, RN

Immersive virtual reality (IVR) was integrated into a Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) honors curriculum across three semesters at the University of Delaware to enhance students’ critical thinking, real-time clinical decision-making, and delegation to unlicensed assistive personnel (UAP). Using SimX software, junior and senior BSN students navigated 3D hospital environments through headsets and hand controllers, tackling single-patient and multi-patient medical-surgical scenarios. The implementation framework prioritized structured faculty training, technical perimeter setup, prebriefing, orientation, and debriefing to foster a safe learning environment. Evaluation surveys revealed high student satisfaction, with participants reporting improved confidence, communication skills, and clinical judgment. The authors conclude that IVR serves as a highly effective educational adjunct to classroom and clinical learning, offering a transformative tool to prepare nursing students for dynamic, real-world healthcare settings.

The full research article can be found here.

University of Delaware has used the SimX platform in its simulation training.