BACKGROUND
Immersive technologies are increasing in popularity as educational tools for teaching healthcare students.
OBJECTIVE
This review aimed to assess the effectiveness of immersive technologies compared to traditional learning modalities, with regard to knowledge and the participants learning experience in medical, midwifery and nursing pre-clinical university education.
METHODS
A systematic review was conducted according to the Cochrane Collaboration guidelines. Randomised control trials (RCTs) comparing traditional learning methods with virtual, augmented or mixed reality for education of medicine, nursing, or midwifery students were evaluated. Identified studies were screened by two authors independently. Disagreements were discussed with a third reviewer. The quality of evidence was assessed using the Medical Education Research Study Quality Instrument. A review protocol was registered with PROSPERO in April 2020.
RESULTS
Knowledge gain was found to be the equal when IT’s are compared to traditional learning modalities, however the learning experience was increased with IT. Twenty-nine RCTs were included and evaluated using the MERSQI tool. The mean MERSQI score was 12.64, the median was 12.50 and the mode was 13.50. IT was predominantly used to teach clinical skills (51%), and virtual reality (76%) was the most commonly used form of IT. Knowledge was the primary outcome in twenty-eight studies (97%). Nineteen studies (65%) used validated instruments and scales to assess secondary learning outcomes including satisfaction, self-efficacy, engagement and perceptions of the learning experience. Nineteen studies (65%) included medical students, eight (28%) included nursing students, and two (7%) included both medical and nursing students. There were no studies involving midwifery students. The studies were based on the following disciplines: anatomy, basic clinical skills and history taking skills, neurology, respiratory medicine, acute medicine, dermatology, communication skills, internal medicine and emergency medicine.
CONCLUSIONS
Virtual, augmented and mixed reality play an important role in the education of pre-clinical medical and nursing university students. When compared to traditional educational modalities, the learning gain is equal with immersive technologies. Learning outcomes such as student satisfaction, self-efficacy and engagement are all increased with the use of immersive technology, suggesting it is an optimum tool for education.
CLINICALTRIAL
Not applicable
Nursing students’ transfer of learning outcomes from simulation-based training to clinical practice: a focus-group study
