UTA nursing is nation’s first to use VR immersion room
The University of Texas at Arlington has become the first university in the nation to use a new type of virtual immersion room as a training tool for future nurses.
UTA’s College of Nursing and Health Innovation held a ribbon-cutting ceremony on its new Igloo Immersion Room, a 13-foot-by-13-foot space made up of screens and projectors that can simulate lifelike environments on its walls and floor. This form of virtual reality will transport nursing students anywhere they may be needed, allowing them to step into a variety of environments and hone their skills in a safe and constructive space.
Housed under UTA’s Center for Rural Health and Nursing and located in the state-of-the-art 150,000-square-foot Smart Hospital, the Igloo will primarily be used to train students on situations unique to rural health, including home health care visits and more serious incidents, such as vehicle accidents. UTA is the first university in the United States to use the Igloo for nursing simulation training.
"Our nursing students already use simulation in all of their clinical practice during nursing school,” said Aspen Drude, manager of the Center for Rural Health and Nursing. “But this was a way for them to be able to get something that no other school has.”
The training modules available in the Igloo will help rural nurses prepare for the wide variety of medical scenarios they may encounter.
“Rural nurses might deliver a baby, see a heart attack and see a trauma in one day,” Drude said.
Drude noted that a significant health care issue facing rural Texas populations is a lack of OB care. One of the simulations that the Igloo will provide allows students to train in childbirth situations.
“We are continuously improving the education we provide to new nurses regarding care and access to health care for our rural populations,” said CONHI Dean Elizabeth Merwin.
UTA President Jennifer Cowley noted that the Igloo is just the latest example of UTA’s commitment to leading on the cutting-edge of nursing education.
“UTA is known for its innovation and the impact its nurses make across Texas,” Cowley said. “This Igloo is one more example of our continued innovation.”