Jul 2026· International Journal of Mental Health Nursing· Vol 35· 0 citations· 51 references
Medicine
TL;DR
The evidence showed that, virtual reality simulations with varying immersive abilities were the most popular innovative educational technology used in undergraduate mental health nursing education and both immersive and non‐immersive VRS were equally effective in improving student learning experiences compared to traditional learning modalities.
Abstract
ABSTRACT Mental health nursing requires specialised training in therapeutic communication and related soft skills. Innovative, digitally enhanced strategies may support competency development, particularly amid clinical placement shortages. This article outlines insights from a scoping review of technology use in undergraduate mental health nursing education. The objectives were to (a) explore the impact of using these technologies in students' experience and (b) develop insights that can contribute to the development of a curriculum that embed innovative educational technology with strong theoretical foundations and pedagogical strategies. This review was guided by the modified Arksey and O'Malley methodological framework. The PCC (Population, Concept, Context) framework was used to formulate the eligibility criteria. A review protocol was registered with the Open Science Framework (OSF). The databases for searching included CINAHL, MEDLINE, Scopus, PsycINFO, Web of Science. The results were reported according to the PRISMA‐ScR checklist. The review included 35 studies and the evidence showed that, virtual reality simulations (VRS) with varying immersive abilities were the most popular innovative educational technology used in undergraduate mental health nursing education. Interestingly, no articles were identified that used other innovative educational technologies as outlined in the search strategies. Both immersive and non‐immersive VRS were equally effective in improving student learning experiences compared to traditional learning modalities. The main benefits included enhanced learning experiences and comprehension and the development of necessary skills and confidence before entering clinical settings. Advanced technologies offer future‐focused benefits for mental health nursing education; however, core therapeutic skills remain essential. Virtual learning should therefore complement, not replace, realistic learning experiences.
Background: Nursing education faces unprecedented challenges in preparing competent, future-ready practitioners capable of addressing complex healthcare demands. Innovative pedagogical strategies have emerged as critical tools for enhancing clinical competence, critical thinking, and professional readiness.
Objective: To systematically review and synthesize evidence on innovative teaching strategies in nursing education, examining their effectiveness on critical thinking, clinical competence, decision making, and student satisfaction compared to traditional methods.
Methods: A systematic review was conducted following PRISMA 2020 guidelines. Comprehensive searches were performed across PubMed, and Google Scholar databases for studies published between 2019 and 2026. Studies examining simulation-based learning, virtual reality (VR), augmented reality (AR), artificial intelligence (AI), flipped classroom, problem-based learning (PBL), case-based learning (CBL), gamification, e-learning, interprofessional education (IPE), mobile learning, and competency-based education (CBE) were included. Data ex-traction focused on study design, sample characteristics, teaching strategies, outcomes, and student satisfaction. Thematic synthesis was performed to identify patterns and effectiveness across pedagogical approaches.
Results: Thirty studies met inclusion criteria, representing diverse geographical contexts including global and Indian nursing education settings. Simulation-based learning and VR/AR technologies demonstrated significant improvements in clinical competence, self-confidence, and knowledge retention. AI-enhanced pedagogies showed promise in personalized learning and competency scaffolding. Flipped classroom and PBL approaches enhanced critical thinking and student engagement. Student satisfaction was consistently higher with technology-enhanced and active learning strategies compared to traditional lecture-based methods. Indian nursing education reforms, including the National Nursing and Midwifery Commission (NNMC) Act, are driving curriculum modernization and competency-based frameworks.
Conclusion: Innovative teaching strategies significantly enhance nursing education outcomes across multiple domains. Technology-enhanced learning, active pedagogies, and competency-based approaches prepare nurses for contemporary healthcare challenges. Successful implementation requires faculty development, infrastructure investment, and pedagogical integration that balances technological innovation with humanistic care principles.
Dr. Kavichelvi K, D. Jaspher M· Young Nurses Journal of Rese...· 1 citation
BACKGROUND
In response to the increasingly demanding needs of healthcare today, the integration of digital technologies into nursing education has accelerated. Digital approaches such as simulation, virtual learning environments, and AI-supported applications have become widely used to improve clinical competence. However, the mechanisms by which they affect learning and their effectiveness in cognitive, psychosocial, and psychomotor domains have not been sufficiently conceptualized.
OBJECTIVE
To integrate the effects of digital-based educational methods on nursing students' learning experiences and to develop a conceptual framework.
DESIGN
An integrative review.
METHOD
This review was conducted in accordance with the Whittemore and Knafl framework. A total of 54 studies published between January 2021 and January 2026, using qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, were included in the study. The methodological quality of the study was evaluated using the Mixed Methods Assessment Tool. Data were synthesized through inductive content analysis.
RESULTS
Digital-based intervention results significantly improved psychomotor skill performance, clinical decision-making ability, self-learning, motivation, and professional identity. The findings explain a shift from passive to active learning in the learning process, i.e., digital autonomy. A "Holistic Transformation Model of Digital Clinical Learning" encompassing safe learning spaces, digital autonomy, psychosocial transformation, and hybrid learning ecosystems has been developed.
CONCLUSION
Digital-based training methods represent a transformative pedagogical change in nursing education. Promoting digital autonomy and hybrid learning ecosystems is essential for achieving sustainable clinical competence in contemporary healthcare settings.
Gülçah Sunay Ertem, Sibel Ergün, Serap Kaynak et al.· Nurse Education Today· 0 citations
Technology-enhanced learning (TEL), including artificial intelligence (AI), virtual reality (VR), high-fidelity simulation (HFS), and gamification, is increasingly used in nursing education to address limitations in clinical training and support the development of students’ clinical reasoning skills. This review aimed to synthesize current evidence on the educational outcomes associated with AI, VR, HFS, and gamification in nursing education, and to identify the factors that facilitate or hinder their successful implementation.
A systematic review was conducted in accordance with PRISMA 2020 and registered in PROSPERO (CRD420251048860). Five electronic databases were searched for English-language studies published between 2015 and 2025. Studies were eligible if they involved undergraduate or postgraduate nursing students and evaluated AI, VR, HFS, or gamification in educational settings. Methodological quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT 2018).
Forty studies met the inclusion criteria. HFS and VR were most frequently associated with improvements in knowledge, clinical judgment, and procedural skills. Gamification was associated with greater engagement, motivation, and knowledge retention. Evidence on AI was limited and preliminary, with a small number of studies suggesting possible benefits for critical thinking and problem-solving. Common barriers included technical problems, resource constraints, and inadequate faculty preparedness.
TEL methods appear to improve student learning and provide safe environments for practice. Successful integration of TEL into nursing education requires institutional support, evidence-based teaching strategies, and continuous faculty development. TEL should complement rather than replace traditional educational practices. Future research should examine the long-term impact of TEL on learning outcomes, its cost-effectiveness, and its implementation in resource-constrained settings.
Maha Besbes, Anaam Soloh, Mohammed Mustafa et al.· BMC Medical Education· 0 citations
Introduction: Evidence-based medicine (EBM) is a foundational competency for medical trainees and a core principle of contemporary clinical practice. Medical schools increasingly integrate EBM teaching across pre-clerkship and clerkship training, yet substantial variability remains in curricular structure, pedagogy, assessment approaches, and real-world learning transfer. This scoping review aimed to map the existing literature on EBM education for medical students, with attention to curriculum models, teaching strategies, learner outcomes, and implementation challenges.
Materials and Methods: Following the PRISMA-ScR framework, the authors systematically searched MEDLINE, Embase, ERIC, PsycINFO, and Scopus from inception to July 2025. Eligible studies described EBM-related teaching, curricula, or assessment in undergraduate medical education. Also, data were extracted on study characteristics, pedagogical methods, EBM competencies targeted, outcomes (knowledge, skills, attitudes, behaviours), and reported barriers and facilitators.
Results: Twenty-seven studies were included, representing diverse geographic contexts and spanning pre-clinical and clinical training. Curricula commonly target question formulation, literature searching, critical appraisal, and application of evidence to patient care. Four themes emerged: 1) heterogeneity in curriculum design and competency frameworks, 2) active learning and clinically integrated teaching as key drivers of engagement, 3) assessment challenges and inconsistent outcome measurement, and 4) implementation barriers including faculty expertise, time constraints, and hidden curriculum influences. Most studies reported improved EBM knowledge and self-efficacy, while fewer demonstrated sustained skill retention or changes in clinical behavior. Programs that embedded EBM longitudinally within clinical contexts and used structured appraisal tools appeared more likely to report meaningful learner engagement.
Conclusion: EBM education for medical students is widely implemented but variably delivered and assessed. Evidence supports active, clinically contextualized approaches, yet robust evaluation of long-term outcomes and standardized assessment tools remains limited. For educational planners and instructors, findings suggest that integrating EBM longitudinally across training, embedding teaching within authentic clinical scenarios, investing in faculty development, and aligning assessments with competency-based frameworks may strengthen skill retention and practice transfer. Future work should prioritize longitudinal curricula, faculty development, and harmonized competency-based evaluation.
S. Quon, Isabel Truong, Leah Moroz et al.· Evidence Based Health Policy...· 0 citations
This study aims to examine the implementation patterns, technology integration, learning outcomes, student engagement, and sustainability factors of blended learning (BL) in health professions education (HPE) between 2020 and 2024 across diverse pedagogical and educational contexts. Despite the increasing adoption of BL in HPE, the existing literature lacks a comprehensive, theory-informed synthesis of implementation patterns, technology integration, the relationship between student engagement and learning outcomes, and sustainability factors across disciplines and educational settings. This study employed a Systematic Literature Review (SLR) following the PRISMA 2020 guidelines. The review was conducted using the Scopus database and included studies published between January 2020 and December 2024. A total of 41 peer-reviewed empirical studies were selected from an initial pool of 65 records through rigorous title and abstract screening, followed by full-text eligibility assessment. Data were synthesised narratively, and the findings were organised thematically according to five research questions using an integrated theoretical framework encompassing constructivism, cognitive load theory, multimedia learning theory, and self-regulated learning theory. The findings revealed that 58.5% of the included studies implemented general BL approaches, whereas 41.5% adopted established pedagogical frameworks. Technology integration primarily involved multimedia resources (53.7%), digital assessment platforms (43.9%), and video conferencing tools (43.9%). Overall, BL demonstrated high effectiveness, with 86% of the reported learning outcome measures indicating positive results. Structured active engagement exhibited the strongest positive association with learning outcomes (r ≈ 0.55–0.75). The main challenges included substantial resource requirements and difficulties in student self-regulation, whereas instructional design support emerged as the most important facilitating factor. These findings suggest that although BL is highly effective in HPE, its long-term sustainability depends on transitioning from ad hoc implementation to institutionally supported, theory-driven instructional design. Accordingly, educators and higher education institutions should prioritise intentional pedagogical design and sustained institutional support to ensure the effective and sustainable implementation of blended learning in health professions education.
Mira Istiana, Eveline Siregar, Tuti Iriani et al.· Jurnal Paedagogy· 0 citations
The use of technology in healthcare education is rapidly expanding. Undergraduate nursing programs have integrated advanced technologies such as high-fidelity simulation, immersive virtual reality, augmented reality, and holographic simulations to support learning and improve retention in both in-person and distance learning. Meanwhile, little is known about the use of these clinical learning technologies in nurse practitioner education. This integrative review involved a systematic search of five databases: CINAHL, ERIC (ProQuest), MedLine (OVID), Google Scholar, and PubMed. Eleven studies met the inclusion and exclusion criteria and were analyzed for major themes. Five primary themes emerged, including (a) student uptake, (b) student learning, (c) change management, (d) accessibility, and (e) confidence. Findings suggested that integrating advanced clinical learning technologies into nurse practitioner programs should be prioritized. Going forward, focus should turn to establishing nurse practitioner program best practices for integrating clinical learning technologies, budgetary considerations, ongoing evaluation of learning outcomes, and theory development. Work in these areas may support the enhanced use of clinical learning technologies while providing educational institutions, nurse practitioner programs and public funders with the necessary data to inform future planning and further implementation of new technologies.
Chelsie Girard, Misha Balciunas, Kelly Robertson et al.· International Review of Rese...· 0 citations