Investigating Virtual Reality and the Virtual medicine room for nursing education: student perceptions and technology acceptance
Frode Johansen, Odd Rune Stalheim, Maria Løvsletten, Lucie Furulund, Helge Toft · Interactive Learning Environments · 2025
The study explores the impact of Virtual Reality Simulation (VRS) technologies, specifically the Virtual Medicine Room (VMR), on nursing education. Using the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM), the study investigates nursing students’ perceptions of VMR as an educational tool, examining factors that influence their acceptance and adoption intentions. Conducted at a Norwegian university, 129 nursing students participated, experiencing VRS through VR (Virtual Reality) headsets with the VMR application, simulating a controlled educational setting. The research followed a two-phase method: an initial practical VRS interaction and a subsequent quantitative survey based on TAM, using a 7-point Likert scale to measure perceived usefulness, ease of use, and intention to use VR and VMR. Results showed a significant link between students’ pre-existing attitudes toward VR technology and their views on VMR's usefulness, ease of use, and adoption likelihood. Age was a critical factor, with older students showing more scepticism, and gender affected perceived ease of use, with female students finding it less user-friendly. This study highlights the importance of students’ prior attitudes in influencing their perceptions of educational technologies like VMR in nursing education, suggesting the need for further research into factors affecting technology acceptance.