Virtual Reality in Nursing Students' Communication Skills

NCT07117604 | Not Yet Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: Dokuz Eylül Üniversitesi
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 60
• Locations: 0 countries
• Sites: N/A

Brief Summary

The purpose of this clinical trial is to determine the effect of a virtual reality application on nursing students' skills in breaking bad news and approaching crying patients at a nursing faculty in western Turkey. The primary questions to be addressed are: Is there a significant difference in breaking bad news skills between students receiving the virtual reality intervention and those receiving the standard curriculum? Is there a significant difference in skills related to approaching crying patients between students receiving the virtual reality intervention and those receiving the standard curriculum? Comparison group: The researchers will compare the intervention group, which receives the virtual reality application, with the control group, which follows the standard curriculum, to assess differences in skill development. Participants: Nursing students aged 18 years or older, who are taking a communication course for the first time and voluntarily participating. Participants will be randomly assigned to the intervention or control groups. Participants in the intervention group will: Attend an orientation session for the virtual reality application, Engage in a virtual reality scenario based on the SPIKES protocol involving breaking bad news and approaching a crying patient, Participate in a debriefing session to discuss their experiences. Participants in the control group will receive the standard curriculum course.

Conditions

Nursing Students; Virtual Reality; Breaking Bad News Skills

Keywords

Virtual reality; cancer; breaking bad news; nursing; communication

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (2)

• Change in the Questionnaire on Knowledge of Breaking Bad News

  The level of knowledge and skills in breaking bad news and approaching a crying patient will be assessed using validated questionnaire: the Questionnaire on Knowledge of Breaking Bad News

  Pre- and post-intervention assessments conducted within 15 days.

• Change in the Questionnaire on Knowledge of Approaching a Crying Patient

  The level of knowledge and skills in breaking bad news and approaching a crying patient will be assessed using validated questionnaire: the Questionnaire on Knowledge of Approaching a Crying Patient.

  Pre- and post-intervention assessments conducted within 15 days.

Study Arms (2)

The students in the intervention group received training on virtual reality.

EXPERIMENTAL

In the intervention group, interventions were performed in the following three sessions: orientation, VR viewing, and discussion. During the orientation session, the participants in the intervention group were made familiar with the virtual reality application, and given information on roles and a general overview. A sample visual was displayed for adaptation, and the participants were asked if they had any problems. Then they explored the avatars of a patient, a physician and a nurse in the virtual reality environment and familiarized themselves with the environment (approximately 10 minutes). Although the participants only observed the virtual environment, they felt that they were part of the virtual environment. The researchers provided technical support to the participants throughout the application. Each participant participated in the virtual reality application once. In the debriefing session, the participants' observations of the virtual reality environment were discussed.

Other: Virtual Reality

Students in the control group received no training.

ACTIVE COMPARATOR

Students in the control group received no training. The students in the control group were told that the program would be implemented to those who volunteered after the study was completed.

Other: Control group

Interventions

Virtual Reality OTHER

Standard virtual reality applications rely on computer-generated animation environments and avatars; however, in the present study, the content created by actors/actresses with theater training by using cameras and audio recording devices suitable for creating virtual reality content included images of real environments and people.

Also known as: Virtual Glasses

The students in the intervention group received training on virtual reality.

Control group OTHER

While the participants in the intervention group received training on virtual reality, those in the control group took the standard curriculum course. Students in the control group received no training. The students in the control group were told that the program would be implemented to those who volunteered after the study was completed.

Also known as: Active Comparator

Students in the control group received no training.

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 18 Years+
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Adult (18-64), Older Adult (65+)

You may qualify if:

• being ≥18 years old
• being a nursing student,
• taking a communication course for the first time
• volunteering to participate in the study

You may not qualify if:

• having a condition preventing the student from using the VR tool
• having problems such as nausea and vomiting due to the use of VR headsets
• having been participated in any training given on breaking bad news

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Dokuz Eylul University: lead
• Dokuz Eylül University, Scientific Research Projects Coordination Unit: collaborator

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Neoplasms; Communication

Interventions

Control Groups

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Behavior

Intervention Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Epidemiologic Research Design; Epidemiologic Methods; Investigative Techniques; Research Design; Methods

Central Study Contacts

Yağmur Yaşa, Research Assistant

CONTACT

+905354087966; yagmuryasa5@gmail.com

Ezgi Karadağ, Professor

CONTACT

+0905058135910; ezgikaradağ44@gmail.com

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: OTHER
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Research Assistant

Model Details: The students who agreed to participate in the study were randomly assigned to the intervention and control groups. The first student who agreed to participate in the study was assigned to the intervention group, and the second to the control group. The students in the intervention group received training on virtual reality. Students in the control group received no training. The students in the control group were told that the program would be implemented to those who volunteered after the study was completed.All the participants in the intervention group participated in the virtual reality session individually and then in the debriefing session related to the scenario. While the participants in the intervention group received training on virtual reality, those in the control group took the standard curriculum course.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: July 22, 2025
• First Posted: August 12, 2025
• Study Start: August 1, 2025
• Primary Completion: August 1, 2025
• Study Completion: August 1, 2025
• Last Updated: August 12, 2025

Record last verified: 2025-08

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share