The Use of Immersive and Virtual Reality Technologies to Enable Nursing Students to Experience Scenario-Based, Basic Life Support Training-Exploring the Impact on Confidence and Skills

Abstract

The link between effective basic life support and survival following cardiac arrest is well known. Nurses are often first responders at in-hospital cardiac arrests and receive annual basic life support training to ensure they have the adequate skills, and student nurses are taught this in preparation for their clinical practice. However, it is clear that some nurses still lack confidence and skills to perform basic life support in an emergency situation. This innovative study included 209 participants, used a mixed-methods approach, and examined three environments to compare confidence and skills in basic life support training. The environments were nonimmersive (basic skills room), immersive (immersive room with video technology), and the Octave (mixed reality facility). The skills were measured using a Laerdal training manikin (QCPR manikin), with data recorded on a wireless Laerdal Simpad, and confidence levels before and after training were measured using a questionnaire. The nonimmersive and the immersive rooms were familiar environments, and the students felt more comfortable, relaxed, and, thus, more confident. The Octave offered the higher level of simulation utilizing virtual reality technology. Students felt less comfortable and less confident in the Octave; we assert that this was because the environment was unfamiliar. The study identified that placing students in an unfamiliar environment influences the confidence and skills associated with basic life support; this could be used as a way of preparing student nurses with the necessary emotional resilience to cope in stressful situations.