Immersive VR in SDSU's Nursing Education

UbiSim VR implementation at SDSU's College of Nursing has significantly expanded the range of learning opportunities available to students. Deborah Venable, an instructor at SDSU, notes that the inclusion of VR provides an additional modality that caters to diverse learning preferences among students. Moreover, UbiSim's scenarios align seamlessly with the program learning objectives established by SDSU, facilitating the development of essential nursing skills such as clinical reasoning and professionalism. The utilization of pre-made scenarios within UbiSim, adhering to standards of best practice, enhances the realism of simulations and saves valuable time for faculty members.

The intuitive nature of UbiSim VR platform enables easy customization of scenarios to suit the specific needs of SDSU's nursing curriculum. Kate Jansen, a simulation technician at SDSU, emphasizes the platform's user-friendly interface, which strikes a balance between complexity and usability. Faculty members at SDSU have utilized the UbiSim Editor to tailor scenarios based on the college's curriculum, with plans to create new scenarios from scratch in the future.

Incorporating VR into skills lab sessions has been a key aspect of SDSU's implementation strategy. This integration provides students with unique opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge gained from lectures in a practical, simulated environment. Feedback from faculty members suggests that students exhibit comfort and enthusiasm for VR, with regular participation contributing to enhanced learning experiences over time.

One of the significant advantages of UbiSim is its ability to expose students to rare or specialized nursing scenarios that may be infrequently encountered in smaller urban communities. This aspect of UbiSim aligns well with the broader goals of simulation-based education, which aim to provide students with a diverse range of clinical experiences in a controlled setting.

Moreover, Virtual Reality's flexibility extends to accommodating students who may experience motion sickness during VR simulations. Alternative participation options, such as observing as a ghost observer or via screencasting, ensure inclusivity and flexibility in scenario engagement, further enhancing the accessibility of simulation-based learning at SDSU.