MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
Developing Empathy Through Virtual Immersion for
Community Health Nursing
Leavitt School of Health, Western Governors University
C922 Emerging Trends and Challenges in 21st Century Nursing
Education
Dr. Melanie Escobar
12/05/2025
Western Governors University 1|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
, MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
Executive Summary
This curriculum technology proposal recommends integrating a virtual simulation
platform into our academic program. Such integration will reinforce experiential, trauma-
informed, and equity-focused learning within our community health course. Our primary
objective for students is to augment their development of clinical judgment. We aspire to
broaden our students' empathy and diminish stigma, thereby fostering improved
communication with patients. We intend to replace some passive learning experiences
with interactive technologies that better reflect the complexities of community-based
nursing environments. The literature reviewed robustly supports the use of virtual
simulation as an effective method for enhancing students' clinical reasoning, increasing
their emotional insight, and bolstering the affective domain competencies essential to
this field.
A comprehensive needs assessment and gap analysis were conducted, revealing that
current course technology sufficiently provides foundational knowledge. However, it was
identified that the offerings lacked proper standardized, immersive, or trauma-informed
experiences. Collaboration with faculty, program directors, and IT staff indicated that
virtual simulation is the most suitable tool to address these deficiencies. A force field
analysis highlighted multiple factors supporting the adoption of this platform, including
promoting equitable experiences and better alignment with competency-based
outcomes. Conversely, barriers such as faculty readiness, student access to
technology, and the anticipated level of IT support required were also identified. Guided
by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), a structured
implementation plan was developed to address potential resistance and foster
Western Governors University 2|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
, MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
sustainable adoption. Integrating virtual simulation into this course aims to enhance
clinical judgment, foster a stigma-free, trauma-informed environment, and prepare BSN
students to serve diverse and complex communities. This initiative will strengthen our
program's capabilities and advance the broader field of nursing education.
Developing Empathy Through Virtual Immersion for Community
Health Nursing
Literature Review
The objective of this literature review is to assess how existing evidence
substantiates the use of virtual reality (VR) or virtual simulation (VS) as pedagogical
tools to facilitate instruction in community health nursing, with a specific emphasis on
mental health. A comprehensive search was conducted utilizing the WGU Library
databases, including CINAHL and MEDLINE. Various search terms were applied, such
as virtual simulation, virtual reality, nursing education, mental health education,
empathy, stigma reduction, and community health nursing. From these searches, five
peer-reviewed studies published within the past 5 years were selected for their
relevance to experiential learning, affective-domain development, and simulation-based
education. A table was subsequently compiled to summarize each study's contributions
to the argument advocating for virtual simulation as a crucial and effective instrument to
enhance student engagement, foster empathy, and diminish stigma within a safe,
trauma-informed environment.
Western Governors University 3|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
, MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
Research Findings and Support of Proposal
This collection of studies demonstrates, in various ways, how virtual reality can
serve as a valuable asset, providing an evidence-based approach to enhance
community health nursing education. Hoffman and Argeros (2021) indicate that virtual
simulations can improve students' clinical judgment and public health decision-making.
This offers a fundamental argument for integrating technology, such as virtual reality,
into a community health curriculum. Piot et al. (2022) corroborated these findings, with
their systematic review and meta-analysis confirming that simulations consistently
enhance students' communication abilities, boost their confidence, and improve their
overall competence across numerous mental health and psychiatric settings. These two
studies provide a robust foundation for the argument that virtual simulation can reliably
foster the cognitive and behavioral skills BSN students need when practicing
community-based nursing.
The literature endorses the utilization of virtual reality for the development of
cognitive skills. It also underscores its significance in cultivating the affective domain,
thereby enhancing skills such as empathy, diminishing stigma, and fostering emotional
insight. These qualities are essential when practicing trauma-informed care that
emphasizes equity, particularly in community health nursing. Marques et al. (2022) and
Mason and Westhead (2025) each report that immersive VR experiences can markedly
reduce stigma associated with mental illness and enhance empathy and
comprehension. Virtual environments enable students to adopt different perspectives,
notably from the viewpoint of individuals experiencing mental health crises, within a safe
and psychologically supportive environment. This experiential learning allows students
Western Governors University 4|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
Proposal Template
Developing Empathy Through Virtual Immersion for
Community Health Nursing
Leavitt School of Health, Western Governors University
C922 Emerging Trends and Challenges in 21st Century Nursing
Education
Dr. Melanie Escobar
12/05/2025
Western Governors University 1|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
, MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
Executive Summary
This curriculum technology proposal recommends integrating a virtual simulation
platform into our academic program. Such integration will reinforce experiential, trauma-
informed, and equity-focused learning within our community health course. Our primary
objective for students is to augment their development of clinical judgment. We aspire to
broaden our students' empathy and diminish stigma, thereby fostering improved
communication with patients. We intend to replace some passive learning experiences
with interactive technologies that better reflect the complexities of community-based
nursing environments. The literature reviewed robustly supports the use of virtual
simulation as an effective method for enhancing students' clinical reasoning, increasing
their emotional insight, and bolstering the affective domain competencies essential to
this field.
A comprehensive needs assessment and gap analysis were conducted, revealing that
current course technology sufficiently provides foundational knowledge. However, it was
identified that the offerings lacked proper standardized, immersive, or trauma-informed
experiences. Collaboration with faculty, program directors, and IT staff indicated that
virtual simulation is the most suitable tool to address these deficiencies. A force field
analysis highlighted multiple factors supporting the adoption of this platform, including
promoting equitable experiences and better alignment with competency-based
outcomes. Conversely, barriers such as faculty readiness, student access to
technology, and the anticipated level of IT support required were also identified. Guided
by the Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology (UTAUT), a structured
implementation plan was developed to address potential resistance and foster
Western Governors University 2|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
, MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
sustainable adoption. Integrating virtual simulation into this course aims to enhance
clinical judgment, foster a stigma-free, trauma-informed environment, and prepare BSN
students to serve diverse and complex communities. This initiative will strengthen our
program's capabilities and advance the broader field of nursing education.
Developing Empathy Through Virtual Immersion for Community
Health Nursing
Literature Review
The objective of this literature review is to assess how existing evidence
substantiates the use of virtual reality (VR) or virtual simulation (VS) as pedagogical
tools to facilitate instruction in community health nursing, with a specific emphasis on
mental health. A comprehensive search was conducted utilizing the WGU Library
databases, including CINAHL and MEDLINE. Various search terms were applied, such
as virtual simulation, virtual reality, nursing education, mental health education,
empathy, stigma reduction, and community health nursing. From these searches, five
peer-reviewed studies published within the past 5 years were selected for their
relevance to experiential learning, affective-domain development, and simulation-based
education. A table was subsequently compiled to summarize each study's contributions
to the argument advocating for virtual simulation as a crucial and effective instrument to
enhance student engagement, foster empathy, and diminish stigma within a safe,
trauma-informed environment.
Western Governors University 3|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
, MKP3: Emerging Technology and Nursing Education. Curriculum Technology
Proposal Template
Research Findings and Support of Proposal
This collection of studies demonstrates, in various ways, how virtual reality can
serve as a valuable asset, providing an evidence-based approach to enhance
community health nursing education. Hoffman and Argeros (2021) indicate that virtual
simulations can improve students' clinical judgment and public health decision-making.
This offers a fundamental argument for integrating technology, such as virtual reality,
into a community health curriculum. Piot et al. (2022) corroborated these findings, with
their systematic review and meta-analysis confirming that simulations consistently
enhance students' communication abilities, boost their confidence, and improve their
overall competence across numerous mental health and psychiatric settings. These two
studies provide a robust foundation for the argument that virtual simulation can reliably
foster the cognitive and behavioral skills BSN students need when practicing
community-based nursing.
The literature endorses the utilization of virtual reality for the development of
cognitive skills. It also underscores its significance in cultivating the affective domain,
thereby enhancing skills such as empathy, diminishing stigma, and fostering emotional
insight. These qualities are essential when practicing trauma-informed care that
emphasizes equity, particularly in community health nursing. Marques et al. (2022) and
Mason and Westhead (2025) each report that immersive VR experiences can markedly
reduce stigma associated with mental illness and enhance empathy and
comprehension. Virtual environments enable students to adopt different perspectives,
notably from the viewpoint of individuals experiencing mental health crises, within a safe
and psychologically supportive environment. This experiential learning allows students
Western Governors University 4|Page
Accessibility Review Completed and Approved for Distribution and Use.
Academic Product Management [HC - Based on review completed 9/16/24.]
