Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation as a Tool for Enhancing Clinical Confidence and Sustaining Skill Retention in Undergraduate Nursing Students
Keywords:
Simulation-Based Education, Nursing Students, Clinical Confidence, Skill Retention, Self-Efficacy, Experiential LearningAbstract
Background: Simulation-based learning is being cited as one of the most important andragogical approaches to use in nursing, as it helps to develop clinical skills and confidence in a controlled and safe setting. Although it has been proven to be effective in the world, there is little research that has examined its effects on clinical confidence and skill retention in nursing students in the local setting.
Aim: This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of the simulated interventions on the clinical confidence in nursing students and the retention of the skills, and to examine the connection between the confidence and practical competence.
Methods: A quasi-experimental pre-test/ post-test was conducted on 54 nursing students in the 2nd, 3rd and 4th academic years. The nursing participants were evaluated in terms of clinical confidence and skill retention prior to and after a designed simulation intervention with validated instruments. The use of SPSS version 27 resulted in descriptive statistics, paired t-tests, and Pearson correlation analysis.
Results: Post-intervention analysis revealed a significant improvement in clinical confidence (pre-test mean ± SD: 2.45 ± 0.52; post-test: 3.68 ± 0.47; p = 0.001) and skill retention (pre-test: 6.82 ± 1.21; post-test: 9.54 ± 0.96; p = 0.001). A strong positive correlation (r = 0.68, p = 0.001) was observed between clinical confidence and skill retention, indicating that higher confidence levels were associated with better practical competence.
Conclusion: Simulation education is applicable in promoting clinical confidence, as well as skill retention among nursing students. The correlation between confidence and competence is also positive which highlights the significance of combining structured, reflective and repetitive simulation activities in the nursing curriculum to equip students with skills to practice safe and efficiently in the clinic.
