Virtual Reality Supported by Wearable Technology on Nursing Students

Effects of Immersive Virtual Reality Supported by Wearable Technology on Clinical Anxiety, Stress, and Adaptation in Nursing Students: A Randomized Controlled Trial

This study will examine the effects of brief immersive virtual reality (IVR) exposure (10-15 minutes) using commercially available applications (Beat Saber, TRIPP) on nursing students' clinical anxiety, stress, and adaptation, compared with usual clinical preparation in a control group. It will be assumed that anxiety experienced during clinical practice may negatively affect students' success.

The research will be designed as a prospective, randomized controlled trial. The study will be conducted with 195 students enrolled in the Department of Surgical Nursing at the Faculty of Nursing of an academic institution. Students will be divided into two groups using a simple randomization method. Those in the intervention group will practice with IVR goggles in the clinical setting, engaging in game-based activities involving breathing exercises and aerobics. Data will be collected using the Demographics Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Clinical Success Evaluation Form, and the Stress, Adaptation, and Satisfaction Scale, and these measures will be correlated with clinical success.

It is anticipated that the IVR application will help reduce clinical anxiety and stress by fostering alternative perceptions of the environment. Students are expected to demonstrate high levels of engagement and immersion in the virtual environment. Although within-group changes in state anxiety may not be statistically significant, between-group comparisons are expected to show lower post-intervention anxiety scores in the IVR group compared with the control group (p≈0.02).

In conclusion, brief IVR exposure is expected to be associated with reduced self-reported stress and improved adaptation compared with usual clinical preparation, while its effects on standardized anxiety scores and objective clinical success may remain limited. Additionally, the type of VR experience is expected to influence the outcomes.

Study Overview

• Status: Completed
• Conditions: Nurse's Role; Educational Problems
• Intervention / Treatment: Device: Immersive Virtual Reality

Detailed Description

This study will examine the effects of brief immersive virtual reality (IVR) exposure (10-15 minutes) using commercially available applications (Beat Saber, TRIPP) on nursing students' clinical anxiety, stress, and adaptation, compared with usual clinical preparation in a control group. It will be assumed that anxiety experienced during clinical practice may negatively affect students' success.

The research will be designed as a prospective, randomized controlled trial. The study will be conducted with 195 students enrolled in the Department of Surgical Nursing at the Faculty of Nursing of an academic institution. Students will be divided into two groups using a simple randomization method. Those in the intervention group will practice with IVR goggles in the clinical setting, engaging in game-based activities involving breathing exercises and aerobics. Data will be collected using the Demographics Questionnaire, State-Trait Anxiety Inventory, Clinical Success Evaluation Form, and the Stress, Adaptation, and Satisfaction Scale, and these measures will be correlated with clinical success.

It is anticipated that the IVR application will help reduce clinical anxiety and stress by fostering alternative perceptions of the environment. Students are expected to demonstrate high levels of engagement and immersion in the virtual environment. Although within-group changes in state anxiety may not be statistically significant, between-group comparisons are expected to show lower post-intervention anxiety scores in the IVR group compared with the control group (p≈0.02).

In conclusion, brief IVR exposure is expected to be associated with reduced self-reported stress and improved adaptation compared with usual clinical preparation, while its effects on standardized anxiety scores and objective clinical success may remain limited. Additionally, the type of VR experience is expected to influence the outcomes.

• Study Type: Interventional
• Enrollment (Actual): 90
• Phase: Not Applicable

Contacts and Locations

Study Locations

• Turkey (Türkiye)
  • Gümüşhane, Turkey (Türkiye)
    • Gumushane University
  • Gümüşhane, Turkey (Türkiye), 28010
    • Aydanur AYDIN

Participation Criteria

Eligibility Criteria

• Ages Eligible for Study: Adult
• Accepts Healthy Volunteers: Yes

Description

Inclusion criteria:

-Be the undergraduate nursing student enrolled in the "Surgical Nursing" course in a pre-bachelor degree program at the University

Exclusion criteria:

• Had vision impairment that prevented them from watching IVR videos, neck pain or injury that prevented them from moving their head, or an open wound that prevented them from wearing the IVR headset
• Experienced nausea and dizziness when watching IVR videos
• Had epileptic symptoms.

Study Plan

How is the study designed?

Design Details

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

Number of Arms

2

Arms and Interventions

Participant Group / Arm	Intervention / Treatment
No Intervention: Control
Experimental: Immersive Virtual Reality	Device: Immersive Virtual Reality; Virtual Reality goggles

What is the study measuring?

Primary Outcome Measures

Outcome Measure	Measure Description	Time Frame
The stress scale	The stress scale consists of a linear rating system that includes nursing students' assessments of the experience they received. The single-question inventory asked students to rate their satisfaction on a scale of 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied). The responses were used to determine students' stress levels using IVR goggles.	Baseline and post-intervention measurement (at the end of clinical practice, 14th week of the semester)
The Clinical Success	The Clinical Success Evaluation Form (CSEF) is an evaluation form developed by the second and third authors in 2005 for the Surgical Nursing course at their institution. The form is used by all lecturers and mentor nurses conducting the course to evaluate the success of the students in clinical practice. In the form, scored in three sections (knowledge, skills, behaviors). Behavioral anchors were provided for each item to improve objectivity.	Baseline and post-intervention measurement (at the end of clinical practice, 14th week of the semester)
Clinical anxiety levels	The State Anxiety Inventory (SAI) is a self-report scale comprising 20 brief statements designed to assess an individual's emotional state at a specific point in time and under particular circumstances. The emotions and behaviors expressed in the State Anxiety Scale items are answered by marking one of the conditions, namely (1) not at all, (2) a little, (3) a lot, and (4) completely, according to the severity of such experiences.	Baseline and post-intervention measurement (at the end of clinical practice, 14th week of the semester)
The clinical adaptations	The Clinical Adaptation Scale consists of a linear rating system that includes nursing students' assessments of the experience they received. The single-question inventory asked students to rate their adaptation on a scale of 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied).	Baseline and post-intervention measurement (at the end of clinical practice, 14th week of the semester)
The Satisfaction Scale	The Satisfaction Scale consists of a linear rating system that includes nursing students' assessments of the experience they received. The single-question inventory asked students to rate their satisfaction on a scale of 0 (very dissatisfied) to 10 (very satisfied).	Baseline and post-intervention measurement (at the end of clinical practice, 14th week of the semester)

Collaborators and Investigators

• Sponsor: Gümüşhane Universıty
• Collaborators: Gazi University; The Scientific and Technological Research Council of Turkey

Study record dates

Study Major Dates

• Study Start (Actual): January 1, 2023
• Primary Completion (Actual): March 1, 2023
• Study Completion (Actual): March 31, 2026

Study Registration Dates

• First Submitted: March 18, 2026
• First Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 23, 2026
• First Posted (Actual): June 1, 2026

Study Record Updates

• Last Update Posted (Actual): June 2, 2026
• Last Update Submitted That Met QC Criteria: May 30, 2026
• Last Verified: May 1, 2026

More Information

Terms related to this study

• Other Study ID Numbers: GumushaneUni10

Plan for Individual participant data (IPD)

• Plan to Share Individual Participant Data (IPD)?: YES
• IPD Plan Description: Data supporting this study are not publicly available due to ethical reasons, but the datasets used and/or analyzed during the current study are available by emailing aydanuraydin@gumushane.edu.tr upon reasonable request.
• IPD Sharing Time Frame: Beginning 3 months and ending 2 years after the publication of results
• IPD Sharing Access Criteria: They will be able to access via e-mail to aydanuraydin@gumushane.edu.tr
• IPD Sharing Supporting Information Type: STUDY_PROTOCOL; ICF

Drug and device information, study documents

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