Augmented Reality and 3D Model-Based Ventrogluteal Injection Training in Nursing Students (AR3D-VGI) (AR3D-VGI)

Effect of Ventrogluteal Injection Training Using Augmented Reality and a 3D Model on Nursing Students' Knowledge, Skills, Anxiety and Satisfaction

The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of a skills training program-conducted using augmented reality (AR) and 3D model technologies-on first-year nursing students' knowledge, skills, anxiety, and satisfaction, as well as the retention of learning, regarding the correct identification of the injection site and the application of the correct technique for intramuscular (IM) injections in the deltoid (VG) region. The hypotheses of the study are as follows:

H1: There is a difference in knowledge scores regarding the administration of intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region between the AR group and the control group.

H2: There is a difference in skill scores regarding the administration of intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region between the AR and control groups.

H3: There is a difference in state anxiety scores regarding the administration of intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region between the AR and control groups.

H4: There is a difference in satisfaction scores regarding training methods for intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the AR and the control group.

H5: There is a difference in knowledge scores regarding intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the 3D Model group and the control group.

H6: There is a difference in skill scores regarding intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the 3D Model group and the control group.

H7: There is a difference in state anxiety scores regarding intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the 3D Model group and the control group.

H8: There is a difference in satisfaction scores regarding training methods for intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the 3D Model group and the control group.

H9: There is a difference in retention scores regarding knowledge of intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the AR and control groups.

H10: There is a difference in retention scores regarding knowledge of intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the 3D Model and control groups.

H11: There is a difference in skill retention scores regarding the application of intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the AR and the control group.

H12: There is a difference in skill retention scores regarding the application of intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region between the 3D Model and the control group.

After providing theoretical training to the entire group, the researcher will randomly assign participants and have them practice using the AR, a 3D hip model, and a traditional model. After four weeks, the researcher will assess retention.

Study Overview

• Status: Not yet recruiting
• Conditions: Anxiety; Nursing Education; Clinical Skills Training; Intramuscular Injection; Knowledge Acquisition; Ventrogluteal Injection; Student Satisfaction
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Augmented Reality Group; Device: 3D Model Group

Detailed Description

One of the most common routes nurses use to administer medications is the intramuscular injection. The literature recommends the ventrogluteal region as the safest site for intramuscular injections. However, this site is not widely used in clinical practice, leading to patients experiencing numerous complications related to intramuscular injections. For this reason, it is considered important to teach nursing students-who will become the nurses of the future-how to perform intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region using the correct technique. This way, nursing students will be able to administer medications safely when they begin their careers. Based on this perspective, it was believed that integrating technology into educational processes could facilitate more effective and student-centered learning. To integrate technology into educational processes, it was decided to use an AR-enabled 3D-printed hip model. Since intramuscular injection training in the ventrogluteal region is taught in the Fundamentals of Nursing course, first-year nursing students were included in the study. This research is a randomized controlled trial using AR and 3D modeling technologies.The study will be conducted with first-year nursing students during the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Estimated): 158
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

• Study Contact: Name: Meltem KAYA, PhD Candidate; Phone Number: 0507-200-26-32; Email: meltemkaya@karabuk.edu.tr
• Study Contact Backup: Name: Birgul CERIT, Professor; Phone Number: 90-374 -253-45-20; Email: birgulcerit@ibu.edu.tr

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Child; Adult; Older Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion Criteria:

• Be enrolled as a first-year student in the Department of Nursing at the Faculty of Health Sciences, Karabük University, during the spring semester of the 2025-2026 academic year.
• Have taken the "Fundamentals of Nursing" course for the first time.
• Have not previously received training in the skill of administering IM injections,
• Be able to speak and understand Turkish.
• Be willing to participate in the study.

Exclusion Criteria:

• Failing to complete the research data collection forms in full,
• Having previously taken the "Fundamentals of Nursing" course,
• Withdrawing from the study.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

• Primary Purpose: Other
• Allocation: Randomized
• Interventional Model: Parallel Assignment
• Masking: Single

Number of Arms

3

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
Experimental: Augmented Reality Group; The AR software was developed by a computer engineer using the Unity 3D program. The researcher provided the developer with images of the ventrogluteal region and demonstrated the steps for performing an intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region via video. The developed AR software was ported to the Meta Quest 3 headset, which supports both virtual reality and augmented reality. With the Meta Quest 3 headset, students will be able to view virtual images in a real-world environment and perform the procedure using their hands.	Device: Augmented Reality Group; Students in this group will perform intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region using a Meta Quest 3 headset via an augmented reality-based training application
Experimental: 3D Model Group; A 3D scanner and a Creality K2 Plus 3D printer located at the Iron and Steel Institute of Karabük University were used. First, the hip model located in the Anatomy Laboratory of the Faculty of Medicine at Karabük University was scanned using the 3D scanner's Blue Laser mode. Subsequently, the 3D model of the scanned hip was processed using 3D software on a computer to define dimensions, create the injection site, and determine the print slices, thereby designing the final pre-print configuration. The model was printed in four parts using the Creality K2 Plus 3D Printer and assembled to create the final model. The left side of the 3D hip model was designed to display anatomical structures for regional training, while the right side was designed to accommodate an injection port for IM injections into the VG region.	Device: 3D Model Group; Students in this group will perform intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region using a 3D hip model. The model will be used as visual and tactile learning tools during the training process.
No Intervention: Control group; In accordance with traditional educational methods, students will perform an intramuscular injection into the ventrogluteal region using the model in the laboratory, following the step-by-step procedure.

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Skill Checklist Score	Assessment of students' performance in administering intramuscular injections into the ventrogluteal region using a standardized skill assessment checklist.Assessment will be conducted by marking "applied" (2 points), "partially applied" (1 point), or "not applied" (0 points) for each step the student performs. The total score obtainable from the Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Skills Checklist ranges from 0 to 64.	Immediately after the intervention and 4 weeks after the intervention

Secondary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Knowledge Test Score	Assessment of students' theoretical knowledge using a structured knowledge test.The knowledge test is a multiple-choice test consisting of 32 questions with five options each. Each question on the knowledge test is worth 1 point. The possible score on the test ranges from 0 to 32.Baseline measurement will be used to assess group comparability after randomization.	Baseline (before theoretical training and randomization), immediately after the intervention, and 4 weeks after the intervention
State Anxiety Scale score	Measurement of students' anxiety levels using an anxiety assessment scale.The State Anxiety Scale consists of 20 items, and the possible scores range from 20 to 80. On the State Anxiety Scale, participants rate their responses on a four-point scale ranging from "Not at all" (1) to "Completely" (4).An increase in the score obtained from the scale indicates higher levels of anxiety, whereas a decrease indicates lower levels of anxiety.	Immediately after the theoretical training session and immediately after the intervention session
Satisfaction Survey Score for Teaching Methods	Evaluation of students' satisfaction with the educational method using a satisfaction questionnaire.The five-point Likert-type scale consists of 16 items. The lowest possible score on the scale is 16, while the highest is 80.An increase in the score obtained from the scale indicates higher levels of satisfaction with the educational method, whereas a decrease in the score indicates lower levels of satisfaction.	Immediately after the intervention

Other Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Knowledge Test Score	Evaluation of the retention of knowledge 4 weeks after the intervention.The Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Knowledge Test will be administered.The knowledge test is a multiple-choice instrument consisting of 32 items, each with five response options. Each item is scored as 1 point. The total score ranges from 0 to 32. Higher scores indicate a higher level of students' knowledge regarding ventrogluteal intramuscular injection.	4 weeks after the intervention
Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Skill Checklist Score	The Ventrogluteal Region Intramuscular Injection Skills Checklist will be used.The ventrogluteal intramuscular injection checklist consists of 32 steps. Each step is evaluated as follows: performed (2 points), partially performed (1 point), or not performed (0 points). The total possible score ranges from 0 to 64. A higher total score indicates a higher level of students' skill in performing ventrogluteal intramuscular injection.	4 weeks after the intervention

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Karabuk University
• Investigators: Principal Investigator: Meltem KAYA, PhD Candidate, Karabuk University; Study Chair: Birgul CERIT, Professor, Abant Izzet Baysal University

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Estimated): May 15, 2026
• Primary Completion (Estimated): May 15, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 11, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: May 4, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 8, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): May 13, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): May 13, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 8, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Keywords: augmented reality; intramuscular injection; Nursing students; nursing education; 3D printer
• Additional Relevant MeSH Terms: Mental Disorders; Anxiety Disorders
• Other Study ID Numbers: 2025/2658 (Other Identifier: Karabük University Non-Interventional Clinical Research Ethics Committee)

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: NO
• IPD Plan Description: Due to ethical considerations and institutional data protection policies, individual participant data will not be shared.

Drug and device information, study documents

• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated drug product: No
• Studies a U.S. FDA-regulated device product: No