Background
UNC School of Nursing at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill launched a VR simulation pilot in early 2024 to assess whether virtual reality should be formally incorporated into its nursing curriculum. The trial enrolled 111 first-year students enrolled in a mental health nursing course, making it one of the larger nursing VR pilots documented in the US at the time.
The programme was led by Elizabeth Stone, associate professor and certified health care simulation educator, in collaboration with Sharon Jackson, assistant professor and mental health nursing expert, clinical instructor LaTonia Chalmers, and Dr. Sofia Aliaga, director of the UNC School of Medicine's Simulation, Experiential Learning and Training Center. Funding came from a UNC Center for Faculty Excellence/Lenovo Instructional Innovation Grant.
The Deployment
Students used Oculus Quest 2 standalone headsets with clinical scenarios built in Oxford Medical Simulation. Sessions ran in small groups of eight, each student independently working through two patient encounters in a virtual emergency department exam bay.
The first scenario presented an elderly woman named Maria exhibiting signs of generalised anxiety disorder. The second involved a 15-year-old with gender dysphoria, a history of depression, and a prior suicide attempt. In both scenarios, students could rotate 360 degrees within the virtual room and interact with a drop-down menu of clinical actions, including hand-washing, blood pressure assessment, EKG administration, and blood-work ordering. A virtual nursing assistant was available for task delegation practice. Ambient audio, including a background heart monitor, reinforced the sense of presence.
Following each VR session, Jackson and Chalmers facilitated a structured debrief in which students reflected on their decisions and emotional responses. Stone described expert-facilitated debriefing as the core learning mechanism of the experience.
Context and Scale
Stone noted that under US accreditation standards, high-quality simulation can substitute for up to 50% of clinical in-person patient care training hours. The pilot was designed to test whether VR could function as one such tool within a multi-method simulation programme.
A follow-on report from WUNC (August 2024) confirmed UNC received additional funding to continue the VR pilot, suggesting positive internal reception.
Student Outcomes
Students described the experience as immersive and confidence-building. First-year student Emma Brown noted the headset's audio isolation contributed to a sense of genuine presence. Junior student DeYonna Brodie observed that VR practice translated to greater preparedness and composure when subsequently encountering live patients.
