Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the effects of a virtual reality (VR) program and simulation training on nursing students’ ability to measure vital signs in children.
Methods
This mixed-methods study, which included a randomized controlled trial and a qualitative study, was conducted from June 12 to November 15, 2023. Forty-four nursing students from a university in South Korea were randomly assigned to either the experimental or control group. The experimental group first participated in a VR program focused on measuring vital signs in children, followed by a high-fidelity simulation training. The control group received the training in the reverse order. The participants’ knowledge, confidence in practice, and satisfaction with the practice were analyzed using the repeated-measures analysis of variance. VR learning experiences were analyzed through qualitative content analysis.
Results
Both the experimental and control groups showed significant increases in knowledge and confidence in practice after the interventions compared to baseline. However, there were no significant differences in changes in knowledge, confidence in practice, and satisfaction with practice between the two groups. Three themes were identified from the nursing students’ experiences with VR learning: ‘realistic learning training,’ ‘overcoming learning limitations,’ and ‘perceiving drawbacks.’
Conclusion
The VR program was as effective as high-fidelity simulation training in improving nursing students’ ability to measure children’s vital signs. Moreover, VR program offered additional benefits in addressing limitations of simulation-based learning. These findings suggest that VR program can serve as a valuable educational tool to enhance pediatric nursing skills.

Purpose
We developed a virtual reality (VR) program for use in pediatric nursing practicums to help nursing students learn to measure vital signs in children.
Methods
The analysis, design, development, implementation, and evaluation model was employed between July 2021 and December 2021 at a university in South Korea. In the analysis phase, in-depth interviews were conducted with four nursing students, two nursing school graduates, and four experts. The topic and contents of the VR program were settled in the design phase. The VR program was developed and subsequently used and evaluated by 20 nursing students and four experts.
Results
The contents of the VR program for pediatric nursing practicums included the measurement of vital signs in a newborn baby and a young child, as well as an evaluation system. The mean score for the nursing students' satisfaction with practice was 4.02 out of 5 points. The mean scores for overall satisfaction with the VR program were 4.15 and 4.79 out of 5 points for nursing students and experts, respectively.
Conclusion
The VR program developed in this study allows nursing students to practice measuring vital signs in children, thus improving the students' clinical performance in pediatric nursing.

Citations

• Development of an Immersive Virtual Reality-Based Nursing Program Involving Patients with Respiratory Infections
  Eun-Joo Ji, Sang Sik Lee, Eun-Kyung Lee
  Bioengineering.2026; 13(1): 98.     CrossRef
• Effects of a virtual reality program and simulation training for nursing students on the measurement of vital signs in children: a mixed-methods study in South Korea
  Sun Nam Park, Hyun Young Koo, Hye Young Hwang
  Child Health Nursing Research.2025; 31(4): 296.     CrossRef
• Digital Educational Tools for Undergraduate Nursing Education: A Review of Serious Games, Gamified Applications and Non-Gamified Virtual Reality Simulations/Tools for Nursing Students
  Vasiliki Eirini Chatzea, Ilias Logothetis, Michail Kalogiannakis, Michael Rovithis, Nikolas Vidakis
  Information.2024; 15(7): 410.     CrossRef