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Innovative Use of Virtual Reality to Facilitate Empathy Toward Older Adults in Nursing Education
Catherine Quay1, Arun Ramakrishnan
1About the Authors Catherine Quay, MSN, RN-BC, CNE, is an assistant clinical professor, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Arun Ramakrishnan, PhD, is director of research labs, College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University. This research was supported by a grant from the Drexel University College of Nursing and Health Professions Dean's Innovation in Healthcare Education Fund. For more information, contact Catherine Quay at cmq32@drexel.edu.
Abstract:
Innovative educational interventions that dispel aging myths and promote empathy toward older adults can be used to reduce age bias and health care disparities. Virtual reality (VR) is one intervention that has shown promise in this area. This one-group, pretest-posttest design pilot study examined the effect of a VR experience on empathy with a sample of 121 second-degree, prelicensure nursing students. A significant improvement in empathy was observed. This study adds to the limited evidence that examines the use of VR for immersive storytelling and facilitation of empathy toward older adults in nursing students.
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