Nursing students at TTUHSC of El Paso using virtual reality in the classroom

EL PASO, Texas -- Virtual reality is becoming more popular, especially for video game lovers, but it’s become a practical tool. Nursing students at Texas Tech University Health Sciences of El Paso are using it to train how to treat patients.

About 20 students this spring semester have been using Oculus headsets that put them in a virtual reality hospital. Students are given different patients that are experiencing different illnesses. Sessions last about 20 minutes, followed by a quiz. They are then required to fill out documentation just like they would in a hospital setting.

Meghan LaMont, R.N., an instructor with TTUHSC, is piloting the program. “A lot of students have said that this builds their confidence because now they can actually think, and it looks like a real patient, but they're not at the bedside,” LaMont said. “They’re not worried about messing up. They know they're still in that safe zone.”

The program will expand this summer as the nursing school celebrates its 10th anniversary.

To learn more about the nursing school’s milestone, click here.