Stepping Up Psychosis: The Use of Virtual Reality in Pre-registration Mental Health Nursing Education

Background: There has been growing interest in the development of mental health-related simulation packages for pre-registration mental health nursing education. The authors will present the creation of a simulation package created for pre-registration mental health nurses during their final year. Method: The simulated experience consisted of a five-minute Virtual Reality (VR) recording which shares the experience of living with symptoms of psychoses. The package, not only looked at the hearing of voices, but in addition enhances the user's experience by simulating visual perception and placing the student within a secluded environment. This was delivered to students in their final six months of the program. Results: Students noted the increase in empathy for patients experiencing these symptoms and how it would enhance the care they gave. Conclusion: The results of this innovation demonstrate how virtual reality (VR) could be used to standardize student nurses' education in the field of mental health.