Nursing Education Trial Using a Virtual Nightingale Ward.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Virtual Reality in Healthcare
• Nursing Pedagogy

Background:

• Traditional nursing education faces challenges in conveying the holistic concept of nursing care.
• The historical Nightingale ward design presents unique spatial considerations influencing patient care and nurse workflow.
• There is a need for innovative educational tools to bridge theoretical knowledge with practical spatial understanding in nursing.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a virtual ward, created using architectural computer design software, as an educational tool for nursing students.
• To assess student perceptions of a virtual Nightingale ward from nursing, patient, and combined perspectives.
• To determine if students could identify core Nightingale ward characteristics through a virtual environment.

Main Methods:

• Development of a virtual ward model using architectural computer design software.
• Solicitation of nursing students' reactions to the virtual ward.
• Categorization of student feedback into three viewpoints: nurses, patients, and common (nurses and patients).

Main Results:

• From the nurses' viewpoint, the primary reaction was 'easy to observe patients'.
• From the patients' viewpoint, the primary reaction was 'no privacy'.
• From the common viewpoint, the primary reaction was 'wide room', indicating appreciation for space.

Conclusions:

• The virtual ward effectively demonstrated key characteristics of the Nightingale ward design.
• Student recognition of spatial aspects, such as patient visibility and room spaciousness, validates the virtual ward's educational utility.
• This virtual environment facilitates understanding of historical nursing environments and their impact on care delivery, even for students with limited experience.