Validating the Effectiveness of a VR-based and Haptic Technology–based Operating Room Simulation Program Among Nursing Students

This study aimed to validate the effectiveness of a virtual reality (VR) and haptic technology-based simulation program for operating room nursing education among undergraduate nursing students. Providing students with hands-on experience in the operating room is challenging due to safety, ethical, and logistical constraints. Therefore, this study explored immersive simulation as a viable alternative. We used a nonequivalent control group pretest-posttest design, with 78 nursing students divided into an experimental and a control group. The intervention group engaged in a simulation program that involved VR headsets and haptic gloves, allowing hands-on practice of perioperative nursing tasks in a virtual setting, while the control group received online-based perioperative nursing education reflecting the standard instructional approach used at the participating institution. Outcome measures included knowledge acquisition, confidence in performing nursing tasks, learning presence, learning flow, and learning satisfaction. Results showed that the simulation program significantly improved participants' confidence, presence, flow, and satisfaction, compared to the control group; however, no significant difference was observed in knowledge acquisition. These findings suggest that integrating haptic-enhanced VR simulation education into nursing curricula can effectively foster immersive, experiential learning and improve key educational outcomes. Further studies are recommended to optimize feedback mechanisms and assess knowledge improvement through alternative evaluation tools.