Code White: A branching spherical video learning experience for continuing competency mental health nursing education

Background: Patient aggression toward mental health nurses is a critical issue, impacting clinician anxiety and patient care quality.Traditional training may not adequately prepare nurses for managing aggressive patients in clinical environments, or Code Whites.Branching spherical video learning offers an immersive training approach, allowing nurses to refine their skills in a safe and controlled environment.Methods: A mixed-methods design included a quasi-experimental pre-/post-test study and qualitative interviews.Participants were mental health nurses from a Western Canadian acute care mental health and addictions department.Anxiety and confidence were measured using the NASC-CDM and NCSE scales before and after five training sessions.Qualitative data were gathered through individual interviews and analyzed using NVivo.SPSS was used for quantitative analysis.Results: Twenty-two nurses participated, with significant improvements in confidence (12.3%) and selfefficacy (8.3%), alongside an 8.6% reduction in anxiety related to Code White clinical situations.Qualitative themes highlighted benefits such as realism of the scenario, skill reinforcement, and communication enhancement.Conclusion: Branching spherical video learning effectively reduced anxiety and enhanced clinician confidence in high-risk psychiatric nursing scenarios.Addressing implementation challenges can maximize its educational potential.