Two important factors in virtual reality simulations: Nursing students' experiences of cybersickness and sense of presence

Erbaş, Atiye; Akyüz, Elif; Giustivi, Davide; PRIVITERA, Daniele

doi:10.1016/j.ecns.2025.101787

Article (Scientific journals)

Two important factors in virtual reality simulations: Nursing students' experiences of cybersickness and sense of presence

Erbaş, Atiye; Akyüz, Elif; Giustivi, Davide et al.

2025 • In Clinical Simulation in Nursing, 106

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

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https://hdl.handle.net/10993/66504

DOI
10.1016/j.ecns.2025.101787

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Keywords :

Cybersickness; Experience; Nursing; Sense of presence; Simulation; Virtual reality

Abstract :

[en] Background: With the increasing popularity of employing virtual reality simulations in nursing education comes the need for more research examining their effects on users besides learning outcomes. This study explored nursing students' perceptions of a sense of presence and experiences of cybersickness in virtual reality simulations. Method: A descriptive-analytic research design was employed. Between March and July 2024, 102 second-year undergraduate nursing students participated in an immersive virtual reality simulation focused on postoperative colorectal surgery care. Data were collected using the Sociodemographic Characteristics Form, the Presence Questionnaire, and the Virtual Reality Sickness Questionnaire. Student's t-test, Mann–Whitney U test, and Kruskal–Wallis test were used to compare variables. Results: The study revealed that nursing students experienced high levels of presence and only slight symptoms of cybersickness. Additionally, a statistically significant difference was observed both between gender and the adaptation/immersion subdimension of sense of presence, and between the presence of vision problems and the disorientation subdimension of cybersickness. Conclusions: Since virtual reality is anticipated to become the leading teaching method in future nursing education, and therefore to maximize its potential, efforts should focus on increasing the sense of presence and reducing cybersickness. © 2025

Disciplines :

Nursing Science

Author, co-author :

Erbaş, Atiye; Department of Nursing, Düzce University, Düzce, Turkey

Akyüz, Elif; Department of Nursing, Kırıkkale University, Kırıkkale, Turkey

Giustivi, Davide; Post Anesthesia Care Unit, Vascular Access Team ASST, Lodi, Italy

PRIVITERA, Daniele ; University of Luxembourg > Faculty of Science, Technology and Medicine (FSTM) > Department of Life Sciences and Medicine (DLSM) > Medical Education ; Department of Cardiovascular, Neural and Metabolic Sciences, San Luca Hospital, Istituto Auxologico Italiano, IRCCS, Milan, Italy

External co-authors :

Language :

English

Title :

Two important factors in virtual reality simulations: Nursing students' experiences of cybersickness and sense of presence

Publication date :

2025

Journal title :

Clinical Simulation in Nursing

ISSN :

1876-1399

eISSN :

1876-1402

Publisher :

Elsevier Inc.

Volume :

106

Peer reviewed :

Peer Reviewed verified by ORBi

Available on ORBilu :

since 26 November 2025

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