Virtual reality and conventional training for urinary catheterization: A multicenter usability and satisfaction study

Abstract

Background : Catheterization is a fundamental nursing procedure, but newly graduated nurses often lack sufficient practice due to limitations in conventional teaching, underscoring the need for innovative methods. Aim: To evaluate the effectiveness, satisfaction, and usability of virtual reality (VR) with T-Control technology for teaching urinary catheterization among nursing students, compared to conventional training methods. Methods: An observational multicenter study was conducted with nursing students from 2 Spanish universities. Participants were randomized into control (conventional training) and experimental (VR training) groups. Assessments included practical skill evaluation for both groups, a knowledge quiz for controls, and satisfaction plus usability questionnaires (System Usability Scale, SUS) for the experimental group. Results: Forty-eight students participated (24 per group), mostly female (68.8%), mean age 22.22 § 8.46. The experimental group obtained significantly higher skill scores than controls (6.79 § 1.10 vs 5.75 § 1.11; P = 0.002). Knowledge quiz results were high (97.91% § 5.63%). Satisfaction was positive (6.53 § 0.98/10), with inter-university differences (P = 0.012). Usability reached acceptable levels (SUS 70.00 § 20.04). Conclusions: Virtual reality training demonstrated superior performance across all parameters, indicating significant potential for enhancing urinary Catheterization education in nursing programs.