Comparing the Learning Effectiveness of Three Virtual Simulation Tools With Nursing Students During the Coronavirus Disease (COVID-19) Pandemic

BACKGROUND: We explored the learning effectiveness of three virtual simulation tools used in the Coronavirus Disease pandemic environment. SAMPLE: Study participants consisted of students from two nursing classes, a junior and a senior class. METHOD: A mixed-methods approach compared three tools’ performance across five learning domains. Descriptive statistics and analysis of variance compared mean ratings for learning domains. Open-ended questions were included for qualitative evaluation. RESULTS: Thirty-six respondents rated the Resource Simulation Center (RSC), based on the observation of videos of students undergoing simulation exercises, as superior to the other two. There were no differences between the other two tools. Qualitative findings echoed preference by students for “RSC”. CONCLUSION: “RSC” was preferred over a commercial product based on computer generated graphics, and a free-online product based on clinical scenarios acted out in short videos. Differences in debriefing practices may have influenced the results, thereby emphasizing the role of debriefing with virtual simulation tools.