Efficacy Testing of a Multi-Access Metaverse-Based Early Onset Schizophrenia Nursing Simulation Program: A...

Area of Science:

• Psychiatric Nursing
• Educational Technology
• Virtual Reality in Healthcare

Background:

• Early onset schizophrenia presents unique challenges in psychiatric nursing.
• Traditional training methods may have limitations in providing diverse clinical exposure.
• Person-centered therapy principles are crucial for effective schizophrenia care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of a metaverse-based nursing simulation program for early onset schizophrenia.
• To assess improvements in nursing students' knowledge, critical thinking, and communication skills.
• To explore the potential of metaverse technology in psychiatric nursing education.

Main Methods:

• A quasi-experimental, nonequivalent control group pre-test/post-test design was employed.
• The experimental group (n=29) participated in a metaverse simulation; the control group (n=29) received an online lecture.
• Data were analyzed using independent t-tests and ANCOVA.

Main Results:

• The metaverse simulation group showed significant improvements in knowledge of early onset schizophrenia.
• Critical thinking ability and communication facilitation skills were notably enhanced in the experimental group.
• The metaverse intervention proved superior to traditional online lectures for specific nursing competencies.

Conclusions:

• Metaverse-based nursing simulation is an effective tool for enhancing early onset schizophrenia nursing education.
• This technology overcomes spatiotemporal constraints, offering accessible and supplementary clinical training.
• Strategic implementation of metaverse in nursing education can improve therapeutic communication skills.