The Impact of Interactive Virtual Reality Training Using Haptic Gloves on Intensive Care Nurses' Aspiration Skills and Care Behaviors

December 22, 2025 updated by: Ela YILMAZ COŞKUN
This randomized controlled trial examined the effect of haptic glove-based virtual reality (VR) training on the aspiration skills and caregiving behaviors of intensive care nurses. A total of 60 nurses were randomly assigned to an experimental group receiving VR simulation supported by haptic gloves or a control group receiving standard mannequin-based training. Data were collected using the Nurse Information Form, Aspiration Skill Checklist, and Caregiving Behavior Scale. While VR training was effective in supporting aspiration skill development, no statistically significant differences were found between groups in total caregiving behavior scores or its subdimensions. These findings suggest that although VR and haptic technologies are valuable for enhancing technical skills, improvements in caregiving behaviors may require longer-term or repeated educational interventions.

Study Overview

Status

Status

Indicates the current recruitment status or the expanded access status.
Completed

Conditions

Conditions

The disease, disorder, syndrome, illness, or injury that is being studied. On ClinicalTrials.gov, conditions may also include other health-related issues, such as lifespan, quality of life, and health risks.

Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.

Detailed Description

Aspiration is a fundamental nursing intervention in intensive care units and requires advanced psychomotor skills, strict adherence to infection control principles, and consistent caregiving behaviors. Conventional training methods, such as mannequin-based demonstrations, may be limited in providing sufficient hands-on practice and realistic feedback, particularly for complex clinical procedures. Recent advances in virtual reality (VR) technology, especially systems supported by haptic gloves, offer immersive learning environments that enable repeated practice with real-time tactile feedback, potentially enhancing clinical skill acquisition.

This randomized controlled trial was conducted to determine the effect of haptic glove-based virtual reality training on the aspiration skills and caregiving behaviors of intensive care nurses. The study was carried out between November 2024 and January 2025 in the adult intensive care, coronary intensive care, and neonatal intensive care units of a foundation university hospital.

A total of 60 intensive care nurses were randomly assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The control group received standard aspiration training using mannequin-based demonstration, while the experimental group participated in an interactive virtual reality simulation supported by haptic gloves. The VR training allowed participants to perform aspiration procedures in a simulated intensive care environment with tactile feedback, emphasizing correct procedural steps, patient safety, and evidence-based care principles.

Data were collected through face-to-face surveys using the Nurse Information Form, the Aspiration Skill Checklist, and the Caregiving Behavior Scale. Aspiration skills and caregiving behaviors were assessed before and after the training interventions. The primary outcomes of the study were aspiration skill performance and caregiving behavior scores, including the subdimensions of assurance, knowledge-skill, respectfulness, and commitment.

The findings demonstrated no statistically significant differences between the experimental and control groups in total caregiving behavior scores or in any of the caregiving behavior subdimensions. While VR-based training did not show a direct effect on caregiving behaviors, previous evidence suggests that VR and haptic technologies are particularly effective in improving technical and psychomotor skills. Behavioral and attitudinal changes may require longer-term or repeated training interventions.

The results of this study are expected to contribute to the growing body of evidence on technology-enhanced learning in nursing education and to inform the integration of haptic glove-supported virtual reality applications into intensive care nursing skills training programs.

Study Type

Study Type

Describes the nature of a clinical study. Study types include interventional studies (also called clinical trials), observational studies (including patient registries), and expanded access.
Interventional

Enrollment (Actual)

Enrollment

The number of participants in a clinical study. The "anticipated" enrollment is the target number of participants that the researchers need for the study.
60

Phase

Phase

The stage of a clinical trial studying a drug or biological product, based on definitions developed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The phase is based on the study's objective, the number of participants, and other characteristics. There are five phases: Early Phase 1 (formerly listed as Phase 0), Phase 1, Phase 2, Phase 3, and Phase 4. Not Applicable is used to describe trials without FDA-defined phases, including trials of devices or behavioral interventions.
  • Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

This section provides the contact details for those conducting the study, and information on where this study is being conducted.

Study Locations

  • Turkey (Türkiye)
      • Istanbul, Turkey (Türkiye)
        • İstanbul Beykent University Hospital

Participation Criteria

Researchers look for people who fit a certain description, called eligibility criteria. Some examples of these criteria are a person's general health condition or prior treatments.

Eligibility Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

The key requirements that people who want to participate in a clinical study must meet or the characteristics they must have. Eligibility criteria consist of both inclusion criteria (which are required for a person to participate in the study) and exclusion criteria (which prevent a person from participating). Types of eligibility criteria include whether a study accepts healthy volunteers, has age or age group requirements, or is limited by sex.

Ages Eligible for Study

  • Adult

Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria: The inclusion criteria were as follows: being 18 years of age or older, working as an intensive care nurse and having prior experience with the aspiration procedure, being computer literate, and having no visual or hearing impairments.

Exclusion Criteria:

-

Study Plan

This section provides details of the study plan, including how the study is designed and what the study is measuring.

How is the study designed?

Design Details

  • Primary Purpose: Supportive Care
  • Allocation: Randomized
  • Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
  • Masking: None (Open Label)

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm

Participant Group / Arm

A group or subgroup of participants in a clinical trial that receives a specific intervention/treatment, or no intervention, according to the trial's protocol.
Intervention / Treatment

Intervention / Treatment

A process or action that is the focus of a clinical study. Interventions include drugs, medical devices, procedures, vaccines, and other products that are either investigational or already available. Interventions can also include noninvasive approaches, such as education or modifying diet and exercise.
Experimental: Experimental Group
The nurses used haptic glove-assisted virtual reality simulation technology under the guidance of the researcher. The practice and evaluation procedures were carried out in the same manner as in the control group, including individual sessions, checklist-based assessment, a debriefing session, and the post-test administered two weeks later.
Behavioral: Haptic Glove-Based Virtual Reality Training
Interactive VR simulation supported by haptic gloves for aspiration training.
No Intervention: Control Group
The nurses watched a demonstration video and practiced the procedure individually in the skills laboratory. Each nurse's performance was evaluated by the researcher using the Aspiration Skill Checklist. A debriefing session was then conducted, and the knowledge test was re-administered two weeks later.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Primary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, the planned outcome measure that is the most important for evaluating the effect of an intervention/treatment. Most clinical studies have one primary outcome measure, but some have more than one.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Aspiration skill performance score
Time Frame: Baseline (pre-test) and 2 weeks after training (post-test).
Measured with the Aspiration Skill Checklist
Baseline (pre-test) and 2 weeks after training (post-test).

Secondary Outcome Measures

Secondary Outcome Measures

In a clinical study's protocol, a planned outcome measure that is not as important as the primary outcome measure for evaluating the effect of an intervention but is still of interest. Most clinical studies have more than one secondary outcome measure.
Outcome Measure
Measure Description
Time Frame
Caregiving behavior total and subdimension scores
Time Frame: Baseline and 2 weeks post-training.
Measured with the Caregiving Behavior Scale
Baseline and 2 weeks post-training.

Collaborators and Investigators

This is where you will find people and organizations involved with this study.

Sponsor

Sponsor

The organization or person who initiates the study and who has authority and control over the study.
Ela YILMAZ COŞKUN

Investigators

Investigators

A researcher involved in a clinical study. Related terms include site principal investigator, site sub-investigator, study chair, study director, and study principal investigator.
  • Principal Investigator: Hamiyet KIZIL, PhD, Hamidiye Faculty Nursing

Study record dates

These dates track the progress of study record and summary results submissions to ClinicalTrials.gov. Study records and reported results are reviewed by the National Library of Medicine (NLM) to make sure they meet specific quality control standards before being posted on the public website.

Study Major Dates

Study Start (Actual)

Study Start

The actual date on which the first participant was enrolled in a clinical study. The "anticipated" study start date is the date that the researchers think will be the study start date.
November 21, 2024

Primary Completion (Actual)

Primary Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention to collect final data for the primary outcome measure. Whether the clinical study ended according to the protocol or was terminated does not affect this date. For clinical studies with more than one primary outcome measure with different completion dates, this term refers to the date on which data collection is completed for all the primary outcome measures. The "anticipated" primary completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the primary completion date for the study.
January 21, 2025

Study Completion (Actual)

Study Completion

The date on which the last participant in a clinical study was examined or received an intervention/treatment to collect final data for the primary outcome measures, secondary outcome measures, and adverse events (that is, the last participant's last visit). The "anticipated" study completion date is the date that the researchers think will be the study completion date.
February 21, 2025

Study Registration Dates

First Submitted

First Submitted

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submitted a study record to ClinicalTrials.gov. There is typically a delay of a few days between the first submitted date and the record's availability on ClinicalTrials.gov (the first posted date).
December 22, 2025

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

First Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The date on which the study sponsor or investigator first submits a study record that is consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. The sponsor or investigator may need to revise and submit a study record one or more times before NLM's QC review criteria are met. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 22, 2025

First Posted (Actual)

First Posted

The date on which the study record was first available on ClinicalTrials.gov after National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review has concluded. There is typically a delay of a few days between the date the study sponsor or investigator submitted the study record and the first posted date.
January 7, 2026

Study Record Updates

Last Update Posted (Actual)

Last Update Posted

The most recent date on which changes to a study record were made available on ClinicalTrials.gov. There may be a delay between when the changes were submitted to ClinicalTrials.gov by the study's sponsor or investigator (the last update submitted date) and the last update posted date.
January 7, 2026

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator submitted changes to a study record that are consistent with National Library of Medicine (NLM) quality control (QC) review criteria. It is the responsibility of the sponsor or investigator to ensure that the study record is consistent with the NLM QC review criteria.
December 22, 2025

Last Verified

Last Verified

The most recent date on which the study sponsor or investigator confirmed the information about a clinical study on ClinicalTrials.gov as accurate and current. If a study with a recruitment status of recruiting; not yet recruiting; or active, not recruiting has not been confirmed within the past 2 years, the study's recruitment status is shown as unknown.
December 1, 2025

More Information

Terms related to this study

Keywords

Other Study ID Numbers

Other Study ID Numbers

Identifiers or ID numbers other than the NCT number that are assigned to a clinical study by the study's sponsor, funders, or others. These numbers may include unique identifiers from other trial registries and National Institutes of Health grant numbers.
  • 168264

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?

NO

Drug and device information, study documents

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product

No

Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product

No

This information was retrieved directly from the website clinicaltrials.gov without any changes. If you have any requests to change, remove or update your study details, please contact register@clinicaltrials.gov. As soon as a change is implemented on clinicaltrials.gov, this will be updated automatically on our website as well.

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