Recent challenges to nurse education have resulted in an increased use of virtual reality which serves as an immersive and effective medium for skill and knowledge acquisition. Virtual reality technology is being included in nurse curricula at undergraduate level. This technology remains a relatively new experience for many nursing students with limited evidence regarding students' perspectives regarding virtual reality. To explore nursing students' perspectives of incorporating virtual reality in nurse education. Qualitative descriptive study using thematic analysis. Public university in Ireland. Undergraduate nursing students were recruited using purposive and snowball sampling. Students (n = 26) participated in face-to-face semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups in January and February 2020. Data were analysed using inductive thematic analysis. Three themes were constructed from the interviews: captivating, innovative, and empowering nature of virtual reality; contextual transfer; and challenges and threats to actualisation. Participants believed that virtual reality affords a novel, fun, memorable, inclusive, and engaging means of learning. Many believed that virtual reality would complement current teaching and learning approaches, help build learners' confidence, and provide nursing students with a safe space for trial, error, and problem-solving. The use of virtual reality was recommended to practise various nursing skills and learn about human anatomy, physiology, problem-solving, and clinical decision-making. Participants identified the resources incurred by the technology as challenges to implementing virtual reality in nurse education and stressed the need for continuous face-to-face feedback. Findings suggest that virtual reality technology has the potential to facilitate learning, complement current educational approaches, and provide nurse educators with novel and engaging means of content delivery.

Aims and Objectives: This study explored nursing students’ views of using virtual reality in healthcare.Background: The popularity and use of virtual reality in healthcare delivery and education is on the rise. Yet, the views of future nurses regarding this technology remain underexplored.Design: This is a qualitative descriptive study guided by a naturalistic inquiry and reported using the Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research checklist.Methods: Nursing students (n = 26) were recruited using convenience and snowball sampling. They were first exposed to a virtual reality intervention aimed to enhance men's awareness of testicular diseases. This was attempted to familiarise participants with the technology and initiate conversations around its use in healthcare. Participants were then interviewed face‐to‐face, either individually or within focus groups. Data were analysed using thematic analysis.Results: Four themes were identified: (i) positive experiences of virtual reality; (ii) challenges to using virtual reality; (iii) settings where virtual reality can be implemented; and (iv) blue‐sky and future applications of virtual reality. Participants described this technology as novel, enjoyable, immersive, memorable and inclusive. They questioned, however, the suitability of virtual reality for older adults, reported minor technical difficulties and stressed the importance of prior preparation in the use of the technology. Virtual reality was recommended for use in outpatient healthcare settings, schools and the community. Participants suggested using virtual reality in health promotion, disease prevention and management, and to promote nurses’ empathy towards patients.Conclusions: Findings highlight the potential role of virtual reality in assisting nurses in promoting health and managing disease. Future research is needed to establish the long‐term effect of virtual reality interventions among more diverse participants.Relevance to clinical practice: Virtual reality can be implemented in outpatient, educational and community settings in order to promote health, prevent disease, enhance disease and self‐management, and increase nurses’ empathy towards patients.

Aims: To identify, describe, and summarize evidence from quantitative, qualitative, and mixed‐method studies conducted to prepare nurses and nursing students to lead on and/or deliver compassionate care.Design: Mixed‐method systematic review.Data sources: CINAHL, Medline, PsychINFO, and SocINDEX (January 2007–February 2018).Review methods: Papers were screened by two independent reviewers using an online screening tool and data were extracted using a standardized data extraction table. Parallel‐results convergent synthesis was used to synthesize evidence from included qualitative, quantitative, and mixed‐method studies. Quality appraisal and risk of bias assessment were conducted.Results: Fifteen studies were included with three main themes and six sub‐themes: (a) programme impact (impact on ward‐level and senior nurses and impact on nursing students and educators); (b) programme characteristics (characteristics leading to positive outcomes and characteristics leading to negative outcomes); and (c) programme implementation (implementation barriers and implementation facilitators). Compassionate care education programmes helped enhance nurses' ability to engage in reflective practice, deal with clinical challenges, and gain confidence. The importance of nurturing compassionate care delivery in nursing education was highlighted in the literature. Various nursing‐level, patient‐level, and organizational barriers to compassionate care delivery were identified.Conclusion: The impact of compassionate care educational programmes on nurses was predominantly positive. Further evaluation of the long‐term impact of these programmes on nurses, patients, and organizations is warranted.Impact: Optimal delivery of compassionate care can be achieved by building organizational infrastructures that support nurses from all levels to attend education programmes and lead on compassionate care delivery.

Film-based interventions have been embraced by adolescents as educational tools, but their efficacy in mental health education remains under-explored. In this review, we systematically examined the use of film-based interventions in adolescent mental health education. A systematic review of the empirical literature was conducted using the following databases: Academic Search Complete, Education Full Text [H.W. Wilson], CINAHL Plus with Full Text, Humanities Full Text [H.W. Wilson], MEDLINE, APA PsycArticles, APA PsycInfo, Psychology and Behavioral Sciences Collection, Social Sciences Full Text [H.W. Wilson], Soc Index, ERIC. Risk of Bias were assessed using Version 2 of the Cochrane RoB tool for randomised trials (RoB2) or the Cochrane Collaboration Risk of Bias In Non-randomised Studies of Interventions (ROBINS-I). Ten peer-reviewed studies were included in this review. Film emerged as a promising education method for enhancing metal health literacy and reducing stigma. Mixed reports were found for improving attitudes towards help-seeking, with narrative-based films having a weaker effect on attitudes towards help-seeking when compared with more instructive approaches. No study focussed on resilience. This review highlights the utility and potential for film-based interventions in adolescent mental health education. Further research is warranted around how best to implement such interventions to engage adolescents.

Suicide and self-harm are widespread yet underreported. Risk assessment is key to effective self-harm and suicide prevention and management. There is contradicting evidence regarding the effectiven...