A Nature-Based Intervention to Support the Well-Being of Baccalaureate Nursing Students.

BACKGROUND: The high stress of nursing education can adversely affect students' well-being. Nature-based therapies aim to lessen stress. There is a gap in knowledge related to nature-based therapies and the nursing student population. The aims of this study were: (1) to describe the well-being of nursing students; and (2) to assess the effects of a nature-based intervention on students' anxiety, stress, relatedness, resilience, and well-being. METHOD: This descriptive study included 28 nursing students at a midwestern university. Participants completed online questionnaires before and after a nature-based intervention at an arboretum that consisted of five 1-hour designated nature walks guided by an audio recording. RESULTS: Participants' mean (SD) scores for well-being were classified as average before the intervention (54.3 [3.7]) and increased significantly after the intervention (55.3 [3.2]) (p = .04). CONCLUSION: With rising stress and anxiety levels among college students, nature interventions can support nursing students' overall well-being. [J Nurs Educ. 2024;63(2):116-119.].

Development and Evaluation of a Wearable Simulator System.

Background: Peer physical examination is a clinical teaching-learning approach used for decades because of the convenient sample of peers for practicing. However, this approach has limitations when learning to assess abnormalities and threatens psychologically safe learning. A wearable simulator system was designed for learning physical examination skills to minimize ethical and learning challenges. Sample: The sample consisted of fifty prelicensure nursing students and ten faculty in an upper Midwest university. Method: The wearable simulator was constructed into a vest with RFID tags and ribcage landmarks. An observational, evaluative design was used for participants to rate seven categories during a one-hour evaluation session of the wearable simulator worn by a standardized patient trained to portray an individual with pneumonia. Results: Satisfaction was rated highly among participants. More than 80% of student participants indicated the wearable simulator promotes privacy and reduces embarrassment. Conclusion: The wearable simulator system offers a promising teaching-learning alternative with scenario-specific auscultation and palpation feedback to provide a safe, repeatable, and consistent simulation experience.

Projected Augmented Reality (P-AR) for Enhancing Nursing Education About Pressure Injury: A Pilot Evaluation Study.

PURPOSE: To describe results of a study evaluating a Projected Augmented Reality (P-AR) system for its potential to enhance nursing education about pressure injuries. DESIGN: Pilot evaluation survey. SUBJECTS AND SETTING: The sample comprised nursing students and faculty at a school of nursing in a large, Midwestern public university. A total of 32 participants, which included 27 students (30% BSN, 44% MN, and 26% DNP students; 81% female) and 5 faculty members (80% female) participated. METHODS: The P-AR system was prototyped using commercial-off-the-shelf components and software algorithms, applied to pressure injury nursing education content. After interaction with the P-AR system, participants completed a survey evaluating the following features of the P-AR system for potential: engagement, effectiveness, usefulness, user-friendliness, and realism, and users' overall impression and satisfaction with system features. Evaluation statements used a 5-level Likert-scale; open-ended questions about what was liked, disliked, or anything else offered opportunity for comments. RESULTS: Student and faculty median evaluation scores were 5 (strongly agree or very satisfied) and 4 (agree or satisfied) for nearly all evaluation and satisfaction statements. Students' satisfaction with "realism" received a median score of 3 (neutral). The P-AR system was refined to include realistic still and animated images. CONCLUSION: The P-AR system, an innovative technology using 3-dimensional dynamic images, was applied to nursing education content about pressure injury and was evaluated as having potential to enhance pressure injury teaching and learning. Education about complex processes of pressure injury development and management may benefit from using cutting-edge simulation technologies such as P-AR.