‘It feels like I was there!’ A cross-sectional study to understand the sense of presence in simulation, the role of internal factors and simulation modalities

Background Realism is a quality criterion for simulation. However, its impact on learning remains unclear. There is no consensus on how to assess realism in simulation except for virtual reality. A previous study of Brackney and Priode (Back to reality: the use of the presence questionnaire for measurement of fidelity in simulation, Journal of Nursing Measurement, 2017 Aug 1;25(2):66–73) looked at the evaluation of sense of presence (SoP) in high fidelity. Our study aimed to expand on these results by evaluating SoP in different simulation modalities. Methods A cross-sectional observational quantitative approach was adopted. We distributed a questionnaire assessing the SoP, personality traits and self-efficacy after simulation sessions of various modalities to students and postgraduate nurses, doctors and midwives. Results In our study population of 252 participants (56 nurses, 59 doctors and 137 students), SoP did not differ significantly according to the simulation modalities or simulation experiences. The SoP is positively correlated with a sense of self-efficacy and professional experiences. Personality significantly influences the variation in SoP. Discussion Our work highlights the crucial role of SoP in simulation, regardless of its modality. SoP, particularly emotional presence, should be given greater consideration in research, extending beyond just virtual reality applications.