Exploring the use of immersive virtual reality in nursing education: A scoping review

•Immersive virtual reality is an emerging technology for nursing education.•Definitions of virtual reality vary within the nursing literature.•Most virtual reality research focuses on end-user satisfaction and perceptions of usability. Virtual reality is an emerging technology for nursing education. This technology can provide visual, motor, and auditory immersion into a virtual environment, thereby mimicking reality. Virtual reality may be an effective pedagogical tool for nursing educators to meet the learning needs of nursing students. The aim of this scoping review was to map the existing literature on the use of immersive virtual reality implemented within nursing education programs with nursing students. Scoping review following established methodology. A database search of ERIC (OVID), Medline (OVID), PubMed, Web of Science, and CINAHL Plus with Full Text, and Nursing and Allied Health Database. Records published between January 2010 and August 2022. Two reviewers independently screened titles and abstracts of 2115 articles. Fourteen articles were included in this scoping review. Five major themes were identified in the thematic analysis: Self-confidence, Skill acquisition, Improved learning outcomes, Perspective taking, and Promoting engagement. Immersive virtual reality is being utilized in a variety of clinical settings and with different intended purposes. Most virtual reality research is focused on end-user satisfaction and perceptions of usability. This scoping review provides a comprehensive understanding of the use of immersive virtual reality within nursing education. There is a range of definitions of virtual reality utilized within nursing literature. Further research is necessary to study this growing area of technology for nursing education.