What is it about?
This study tested whether virtual reality (VR) technology and training videos could help nursing students learn to provide better healthcare for transgender people. Researchers created realistic scenarios showing both exclusionary and inclusive ways healthcare providers interact with trans patients - for example, how using someone's chosen name versus their birth name affects the patient experience. Fifty-four nursing students participated in the training, which included watching simulation videos and using VR headsets to experience different healthcare situations from a transgender patient's perspective. The students took tests before and after the training to measure what they learned, and researchers also asked about their satisfaction with this teaching method. The results showed that students significantly improved their knowledge about transgender healthcare needs, with 85% saying the virtual experiences helped them better empathize with trans patients. Students felt comfortable using the technology and were very satisfied with this teaching approach, rating it as highly effective for learning.
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Why is it important?
This research addresses a critical gap in healthcare education - most nurses report feeling unprepared to care for transgender patients, yet trans people face significant barriers when accessing healthcare. Current nursing curricula in Spain don't include formal training on gender diversity, despite new legislation requiring healthcare professionals to be knowledgeable about transgender healthcare needs. The study demonstrates that innovative technology like VR can effectively teach empathy and practical skills in a safe learning environment. This is particularly valuable because it allows students to experience different perspectives without putting real patients at risk during the learning process. The research provides a practical model that other nursing schools could adapt to better prepare healthcare providers for our diverse society. The timing is especially important as healthcare systems worldwide recognize the need to create more inclusive environments for LGBTQ+ patients, making this type of training increasingly essential for healthcare education.
Perspectives
What fascinates me most about this research is how virtual reality can serve as a bridge between technological innovation and social justice. My motivation stems from seeing VR's unique potential not just as an educational tool, but as a powerful means to reduce healthcare inequalities. When students put on VR headsets and experience situations from a transgender person's perspective, something profound happens - it's not just theoretical knowledge, but a lived experience that stays with them. This technology can democratize empathy in ways traditional teaching methods simply cannot achieve. I believe education has the power to change attitudes and, ultimately, lives. By combining VR with diversity training, we're creating more prepared and compassionate healthcare professionals. My hope is that this research will inspire other institutions to adopt similar approaches, not only for gender diversity, but for all vulnerable populations facing healthcare barriers. Seeing how technology can make education more inclusive fills me with optimism about the future of health sciences training.
Dr. Jesús Torres
Universidad de La Laguna
Read the Original
This page is a summary of: Virtual Reality and Simulation Videos as Effective Training Tools for Creating Safe and Inclusive Environments for Transgender People, Nursing Reports, December 2023, MDPI AG,
DOI: 10.3390/nursrep14010004.
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