The Use of Virtual Reality to Improve Disaster Preparedness Among Nursing Students: A Randomized Study

Background: Disaster response inevitably challenges the capacity and capability of nurses. Nursing students are an important reserve force in disaster response; hence, disaster preparedness is increasingly needed. Method: A two-arm randomized controlled trial was adopted. Forty-nine nursing students were assigned into the virtual reality (VR) groups, and 52 were allocated into the control group. Data were collected at baseline and at the end of the study. Results: After adjustments for basic characteristics, the effects of VR groups on disaster preparedness (F(1,94) = 11.049, p = .001, ηp 2 = 0.105), confidence (F(1,94) = 6.992, p = .010, ηp 2 = 0.069) and performance (F(1,94) = 4.298, p = .041, ηp 2 = 0.044) were assured. Conclusion: Integrating VR groups into the nursing curriculum on disaster response could enhance disaster preparedness, confidence, and performance among nursing students. VR groups represent a cost-effective modality of simulation in nursing education, which could bridge the gap between the lack of disaster training and the high demands for disaster preparedness. [ J Nurs Educ . 2022;61(2):93–96.]