The Effect of Haptic Interactive Virtual Reality and Computer-Based Simulation Technologies on Students' Achievement and Anxiety Levels in Nasogastric Tube Practice Teaching

Traditional learning methods and environments are thought to be insufficient to respond to the differing expectations of generation z, who were born and raised in a digital age. For this reason, it has become mandatory for educational institutions to renew their curricula and support them with advanced technologies. All over the world, higher education programs are trying to expand their educational capacities by applying innovative strategies to meet the future workforce needs. Nursing educators also report that fundamental changes in existing curricula are necessary for innovation. Since nursing is a profession that requires the acquisition of cognitive, psychomotor and attitudinal behaviors, it is important to use innovative practices in education. While these applications increase the attention of the student, they save the education from monotony and ensure the permanence of the education by ensuring the active participation of the student. Due to the fact that today is the age of technology, the use and development of new learning tools has increased at every stage of the nursing education process. These developments in technology and education have brought together these two fields and the use of simulation applications used to increase technical and non-technical skills in nursing education has become widespread.

Nasogastric tube (NGT) application, which is one of the interventions that students should develop in nursing education, is an invasive intervention that is frequently applied for enteral nutrition, drug administration and gastric decompression and is the responsibility of health professionals.

Since the beginning of professional nursing education, different teaching methods have been applied to improve nasogastric tube application skills.

According to traditional teaching methods, in teaching NGT practice skill, educators explain the purpose, indications, complications, application method, necessary materials and nursing interventions that need attention in the classroom. Then, demonstration of NGT application skill on a model is made in order to transform theoretical knowledge into behavior in nursing skills laboratories. Due to the fact that it is an invasive procedure with various complications, NGT application by students in the clinical field is limited, so the development and reinforcement of the behavior is left after graduation. It is envisaged that in the teaching of NGT application skill with haptic interactive virtual reality simulation technology, students' knowledge, skills and self-confidence levels will increase, allowing them to feel like a nurse in the patient room that reflects the real hospital conditions, and they will develop and reinforce the NGT application skill, which is a complex initiative in a risk-free environment before graduation. Based on this information, the aim of this study is to reveal the effects of haptic interactive virtual reality and computer-based simulation technologies on students' knowledge, skills, anxiety, satisfaction in learning and self-confidence in teaching nasogastric tube application.