Grant project focuses on virtual reality simulation in online nursing education
The American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN)’s Foundation for Academic Nursing today awarded a 2022-23 Faculty Scholars Grant to Kelly Casler and Kate Gawlik from The Ohio State University College of Nursing for their project to expand virtual reality (VR) simulation in nursing education.
Casler’s and Gawlik’s work, Virtual Reality Simulation to Aid in Competency-based Online Nurse Practitioner Curriculum, will be conducted under the new Global Immersive Technology Center of Excellence for Extended Reality Simulation based in the College of Nursing’s Center for Healthcare Innovation and Leadership. The focus will be to pilot the extension of the center’s current reach (in-person students) to family nurse practitioner distance-learning students.
“With this grant, we will be able to purchase and loan out VR headsets to online students so they can work through simulations from their homes and build their required competencies and skills in Advanced Health Assessment to prepare for the clinical phase of their program,” said Kelly Casler, DNP, APRN-CNP, CHSE, associate clinical professor at the College of Nursing. “This is a natural extension of how we use this technology, but more importantly, we continue to reimagine nursing education by using this exceptional, interactive tool for our students to learn and grow their confidence for the next steps in their educational and practice journeys.”
“Competency-based education, rather than measurement by a number of clinical hours, is really the future of nurse practitioner education,” said Kate Gawlik, DNP, APRN-CNP, FAANP, FNAP, associate professor of clinical nursing and director of undergraduate health and wellness academic programming at the College of Nursing. “These VR simulations will help us assess our students’ competencies in real time and help them to realize significant progress along their path. We are grateful to Dr. Michael Ackerman (director of the Center for Healthcare Innovation and Leadership) for his mentorship as we guide our students through this new and exciting way of expanding their horizons, competencies and preparation for their futures.”
According to AACN, its Board of Directors “initiated the Faculty Scholars Grant Program in 2019 to spotlight the innovative work led by nurse educators to redesign teaching and learning at schools of nursing.” Casler’s and Gawlik’s project was chosen among more than 42 applications for this year’s grant.
