UbiSim Enhances VR training platform with inclusive scenarios for nursing education
UbiSim, operated by Labster, has announced the latest enhancements to its virtual reality (VR) training platform designed specifically for nursing education.
The updates introduce new training scenarios that aim to improve therapeutic communication with patients from diverse backgrounds, including a transgender patient and an older Black patient with Alzheimer’s disease. The expansion is part of UbiSim's broader initiative to offer more inclusive and accessible learning experiences in nursing training.
Version 1.14 of the UbiSim platform includes a scenario that involves Morgan Therin, an older Black man with Alzheimer’s disease who is experiencing agitation. In this scenario, students practice administering medications and employing therapeutic communication techniques.
Another new scenario involves Skylar Holmes, a male transgender patient, designed to help students practice providing sensitive and respectful nursing care.
Christine Vogel, MSN, RN, CHSE, CHSOS, Lead Nurse Educator at UbiSim, emphasised the educational value of these scenarios:
“An enormous benefit of VR-based training is that it allows nurse learners to engage in more frequent practice before they encounter real patients, including in rare, specialized, or critical cases.
“We see the new scenarios as part of our ongoing commitment to prepare nurse learners for safe and effective care for all patients, which includes practicing sensitive therapeutic communications in situations and with people that may extend beyond their previous life experiences.”
The need for such training is supported by research from the Alzheimer’s Association, which indicates that older Black Americans are twice as likely to develop Alzheimer's or another form of dementia.
A Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF) report reveals that LGBT adults are twice as likely as non-LGBT adults to report negative experiences while receiving health care.
The UbiSim platform allows educators to create and customise VR scenarios without requiring programming knowledge. The latest platform update also includes new functionality for simulating nasogastric tube insertion.
Shawn Boom, CEO of Labster and parent company of UbiSim, discussed the platform’s goals:
“Within Labster, our dedication resonates strongly with expanding pathways to inclusive learning via immersive digital engagements in STEM and healthcare.
As we advance and diversify the UbiSim scenario portfolio, our commitment to thoughtfully crafted educational experiences persists. We aim to empower nursing students in their readiness to navigate real-life situations with individuals of diverse backgrounds—embracing patients of all ages, races, ethnicities, genders, and cognitive abilities. We believe this approach will help students enhance their therapeutic communication and elevate their standards of patient care.”
