Comparison of learning outcomes between virtual simulation experiments and offline scenario-based learning for early...

To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual simulation experiments for early intervention in psychiatric violence among nursing undergraduates, compared with offline scenario simulation in terms of knowledge, skills, attitudes, cognitive load, learning satisfaction and confidence.

Early intervention in psychiatric violence is complex and differs from general hospital violence intervention. Existing virtual experiments and games for general hospital violence prevention are not easily adaptable for psychiatric violence prevention training. Offline scenario simulation learning is impractical for large-scale education due to high demands on time, space and manpower.

A repeated measures randomized controlled trial.

Fifty-eight third-year nursing undergraduates participated (intervention group = 29, control group = 29). Theoretical knowledge tests, violence management ability questionnaires and attitude scales were administered before and end of the intervention, one week after and one month after. Post-intervention measurements included objective structured clinical examination, workload profile self-assessment scale and student satisfaction and self-confidence scale.

The intervention group demonstrated significant improvements in knowledge, skills and attitudes (p < 0.001), with higher objective structured clinical examination scores (p < 0.001) and lower cognitive load (p = 0.020) than the control group. No significant differences were found between the groups in self-assessed violence management skills, attitudes, learning confidence and satisfaction (p > 0.05).

The virtual simulation experiment for early intervention in psychiatric violence outperformed offline scenario simulation in enhancing nursing undergraduates' early intervention skills and knowledge retention, with lower cognitive load.