The application of knowledge is a task that remains troublesome to achieve for students, mostly due to the lack of practice. Virtual reality cases allow students to develop their grasp on educational material, at the same time linking together theory and practice in a natural manner. This is important in nursing, with students needing a certain degree of educational and practical preparedness before being allowed access to patients.
Case Practice vs. Theory
The modeled case, based around information collection, allowed for an exercise in nursing care with multiple-choice answers. The activity expanded upon the theories of Betty Neuman and Dorothea Orem, some of the leading theorists of patient care (Alligood, 2018). The modeled situation allowed to aid in memorizing the differences between approaches and to attempt to prepare students for their future implementation.
The exercise drew parallels between the approaches of Neuman and Orem and the data needed for the implementation of their theories. Knowing that the relations, which a person enters with himself, his community, and his nursing practitioner, define Orem’s three-part theory allows asking appropriate care questions (Masters, 2015). The theoretical knowledge is applied to the virtual patient, helping students orient themselves in the position of a nurse practitioner.
Case Practice vs. Practice
Such an exercise with a life-like character allows students to respond quickly when placed in a similar situation. Healthcare professionals often find themselves faced with shy or nervous patients, and a focus on their individual needs and abilities will allow for a heightened level of patient self-care. Using nursing care theories to navigate between medical aid and helping individuals tend to themselves is the practical side of the case.
Conclusion
The use of virtual reality in playing out probable events helps medical students prepare a safe environment for both students and patients. Presenting a virtual patient who is socially and culturally diverse at the same time allows nurses to prepare for patient variety. This kind of readiness creates efficient nursing practitioners, who not only possess theoretical knowledge but can also implement it practically.
References
Alligood, M. (2018). Nursing theorists and their work (9th ed.). St. Louis, MO: Elsevier.
Masters, K. (2015). Nursing theories: A framework for professional practice (2nd ed.). Burlington, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.