AI and VR in nursing: A new era of medical training begins

For decades, nursing education has relied on textbooks, lectures, and hands-on training with mannequins to teach students critical patient care skills. However, clinical placements remain limited, making it difficult for students to gain sufficient real-world exposure. Many institutions struggle with faculty shortages, resource constraints, and high demand for training sites, further restricting hands-on experience.

Traditional nursing education has long faced challenges, from limited clinical placements to the stress of real-world medical scenarios. However, a groundbreaking development in virtual reality (VR) training is offering a solution.

A study titled "NursingXR: Advancing Nursing Education Through Virtual Reality-Based Training", conducted by Mohammad F. Obeid, Ahmed Ewais, and Mohammad R. Asia, and published in Applied Sciences (2025, 15, 2949), introduces NursingXR, a VR-powered platform designed to enhance nursing education. This research explores how NursingXR offers a realistic, interactive, and adaptable training environment that allows nursing students to practice essential clinical skills in a risk-free setting. The study evaluates NursingXR’s impact on skill development, user satisfaction, and its potential role as a supplementary tool for nursing training.

The shift to virtual reality in nursing education

For decades, nursing education has relied on textbooks, lectures, and hands-on training with mannequins to teach students critical patient care skills. However, clinical placements remain limited, making it difficult for students to gain sufficient real-world exposure. Many institutions struggle with faculty shortages, resource constraints, and high demand for training sites, further restricting hands-on experience.

The introduction of virtual reality (VR) into nursing education provides a promising alternative. VR simulations allow students to repeatedly practice procedures in a controlled, immersive environment without the limitations of physical labs or patient availability. Unlike traditional simulations, which often rely on static mannequins, VR offers dynamic, interactive scenarios where students can engage with virtual patients, receive real-time feedback, and simulate emergency situations.

NursingXR is designed as a modular and scalable VR platform that accommodates various nursing lessons. It offers two key interactive modes:

1. Training Mode – Provides step-by-step guided instruction for students to master nursing procedures.
2. Evaluation Mode – Allows students to independently perform procedures, receive performance assessments, and improve through iterative learning.

By integrating haptic feedback, real-time monitoring, and customizable training modules, NursingXR enhances the learning experience and ensures skill retention among students.

How NursingXR enhances skill development and performance

The study conducted a mixed-methods evaluation involving 78 nursing students (novices and experienced practitioners) to test the usability and effectiveness of NursingXR. Participants engaged with various VR training modules, including wound care, intravenous (IV) insertion, patient assessments, and emergency response training.

The results showed that students using NursingXR demonstrated faster learning curves and higher skill retention compared to those using traditional methods. The platform’s immersive learning experience allowed students to develop confidence in performing procedures while reducing stress and performance anxiety.

A major advantage of NursingXR is its real-time feedback system. In Evaluation Mode, the platform tracks user actions, measures accuracy, and provides performance scores. This feature helps students identify weaknesses, correct mistakes, and refine their techniques before working with real patients. Additionally, the platform’s adaptive learning system ensures that each student progresses at their own pace, making it an effective tool for both fast learners and those who need extra practice.

The study also highlighted that visual, auditory, and haptic cues in NursingXR significantly enhanced engagement and realism. Students could hear heartbeats, feel vibrations when inserting IVs, and interact with virtual patients who respond dynamically based on scenario-based training.

Challenges and considerations for VR integration in nursing

Regardless of its advantages, integrating VR into nursing education comes with challenges. One concern raised in the study is whether VR can fully replace traditional hands-on training. While VR simulations provide a realistic environment, certain procedures - such as wound dressing, pulse measurement, and IV insertion - require physical touch and real-world precision that VR cannot yet replicate.

Another challenge is cost and accessibility. High-quality VR systems require specialized hardware, including VR headsets, motion controllers, and high-performance computing systems. While institutions with strong technology budgets can afford to integrate VR, smaller nursing schools or those in developing regions may face difficulties in adopting the technology.

Furthermore, motion sickness and user adaptation remain concerns for some students. The study found that a small percentage of participants (about 10%) experienced dizziness or discomfort while using VR, highlighting the need for continuous improvements in VR comfort and usability.

The researchers stress that VR should be seen as a complementary tool rather than a replacement for traditional training. By combining VR simulations with real-world clinical practice, nursing students can gain a comprehensive, well-rounded education that prepares them for real-world medical scenarios.

Future of nursing education with VR

The success of NursingXR suggests that virtual reality has the potential to become a standard tool in nursing education. The study predicts that as VR technology advances, platforms like NursingXR will evolve to offer even more detailed simulations, including:

• AI-driven virtual patients who respond to treatments in real-time.
• Multi-user simulations where students can collaborate in a shared virtual hospital setting.
• Integration with augmented reality (AR) to enhance real-world clinical training.

Further, VR-based certifications could become a recognized part of nursing curricula, allowing students to demonstrate their skills through VR-based competency assessments. This would help address faculty shortages by providing automated skill evaluation tools, reducing the burden on instructors while maintaining high training standards.

NursingXR represents a step forward in bridging the gap between education and practice, providing an innovative, scalable, and engaging learning experience. While challenges remain, the integration of VR into nursing education is no longer a question of ‘if’ but ‘when’.