Utilisation, Application and Effectiveness of Metaverse in Simulation-Based Nursing Education: Protocol for a Mixed Methods Systematic Review

• Metaverse is an emerging technological innovation, enhancing simulation-based learning experiences. • The growing use of the Metaverse, and its potential benefits to learners and their learning is predicted to strongly influence nursing education. • Currently, there is limited research on its use, application and effectiveness in simulation-based nursing education. • More research is needed to explore this emerging field and its impact on nursing simulated learning. Metaverse is an emerging technological innovation, enhancing simulation-based learning experiences and providing students with opportunities to practice skills in a safe environment, building their confidence to perform complex clinical tasks before engaging in the real world. However, limited research on its use, application and effectiveness in simulation-based nursing education exists. This systematic review will evaluate the literature on Metaverse utility, application and effectiveness in nursing education. A comprehensive search of Scopus, Web of Science, ProQuest, Cumulated Index to Nursing and Allied Health Literature (CINAHL), PubMed, ProQuest, IEEE Explore, and Education Resources Information Center (including ERIC) will be conducted in November 2023- December 2023 covering content from January 2013 to July 2023. Quantitative, qualitative and mixed methods studies that focus on the use, application and effectiveness of the Metaverse in nursing simulation-based learning will be included. As the research is focusing on student learning, studies including registered nurses or other health disciplines will be excluded. Outcome measures to be considered relate to use, application and effectiveness of Metaverse in nursing student simulation-based learning. Two reviewers will independently screen studies and assess eligibility based on our prespecified eligibility criteria, and then extract data from each eligible study using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. This systematic review will produce the first rigorous synthesis on the use, application and effectiveness of the Metaverse in nursing simulation-based learning and will have important implications on the future of nursing education through the recommendations we make on its future use in nursing education.