Using Virtual Reality and 360-Degree Video to Highlight Social Determinants of Health

Area of Science:

• Nursing Education
• Public Health
• Educational Technology

Background:

• Nurse educators struggle to teach social determinants of health (SDOH) effectively due to limited community placement opportunities.
• Traditional teaching methods may not fully convey the complex realities of health disparities.
• Innovative pedagogical approaches are needed to enhance student comprehension of SDOH.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) and 360-degree videos in teaching SDOH to prelicensure nursing students.
• To assess the impact of immersive technology on student empathy, understanding of health barriers, and content engagement.

Main Methods:

• A project was implemented at a southeastern US college of nursing.
• Virtual reality (VR) and 360-degree videos were integrated into prelicensure population health nursing courses.
• Student learning and perceptions were assessed following the VR experience.

Main Results:

• Students demonstrated enhanced understanding of social determinants of health (SDOH) through immersive patient experiences.
• Participation in the VR experience led to reported increases in student empathy.
• Students showed a deeper comprehension of barriers to health and greater engagement with course material.

Conclusions:

• Immersive technologies like VR and 360-degree videos are effective tools for teaching SDOH in nursing education.
• These technologies can successfully simulate patient experiences, fostering greater empathy and understanding.
• Virtual reality offers a viable solution to overcome limitations in traditional clinical placements for population health courses.