Revolutionizing Mental Health Nursing Education: Virtual Reality Simulation for Understanding and Intervening in Major Depressive Disorder and Suicidal Thoughts.

ABSTRACT: Utilizing Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice™, a virtual reality (VR) platform was created to meet American Association of Colleges of Nursing Essential and Quad Council Public Health competencies. The scenario, involving major depressive disorder with suicidal ideation and alcohol dependency, engages learners in assessing suicide risk, recognizing symptoms, and recommending treatment. Eighty-four prelicensure nursing students have taken part in this mental health VR simulation since spring 2023. Although no significant difference was observed between pre-post knowledge, learners appreciated the VR experience. Student ratings were lowest for how physically demanding the task was and highest for their focus and interest in successfully doing the simulation.

Implementing Simple and Effective Simulation Experiences.

Implementing simple and effective nursing simulation experiences at the bedside or in a simulation center in a hospital setting can be an impactful way to enhance skill development, encourage critical thinking, and improve patient safety. However, there are often challenges and barriers to the bedside nurses participating in simulation in the hospital setting. Applying the Healthcare Simulation Standards of Best Practice will give the bedside nurse and educator consistency in implementing and planning effective simulations.

Using Virtual Reality Simulation for Screening Brief Intervention and Referral to Treatment.

BACKGROUND: This study examined the effects of virtual reality on students' confidence and knowledge in Screening, Brief Intervention, and Referral to Treatment (SBIRT), and understanding of substance use disorders (SUDs) in mental health and primary care settings. METHOD: Using a pre- and postdesign, questionnaires were distributed before, immediately after, and 3 months after the simulation. RESULTS: Data analysis revealed significant increases in SBIRT characteristics, screening tools, and alcohol consumption guidelines from pre- to postsimulation (p < .05) among the participants (n = 380). Confidence levels improved significantly (p < .001), with no notable difference between post-simulation and follow-up surveys. CONCLUSION: Simulation training with structured prebriefing and debriefing sessions facilitated the application of learned skills during the simulation, boosting students' self-efficacy and readiness. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(7):453-459.].