Ready, set, experience: Using virtual reality in risk assessment teaching

Background: Prelicensure nursing students must be able to assess and identify potential harms impacting patient safety. A novel approach for educating students about patient safety and environmental assessment skills before clinical experience was developed using virtual reality. Method: The course faculty collaborated with instructional technologists over several months to develop the virtual reality activity. A 360° camera was used to film the scenario to help students identify possible patient safety threats in a hospital room. Results: A post-activity survey was utilized to evaluate students’ experience with the virtual reality activity. About 94.12% of the students rated the virtual reality experience as “excellent.” Qualitative feedback from the students determined that the activity provided a safe environment to learn before interacting with a patient in the clinical setting. Conclusion: Virtual reality activities provide students with an interactive learning method. It has the ability to enhance student assessment skills necessary for the clinical setting.