Clinical Decision MakingVRNCT07663851
EFFECTIVENESS OF VIRTUAL REALITY SIMULATION
A study testing Virtual Reality Simulation in people with Clinical Decision Making, run by Istanbul Arel University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
Trial summary
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of VRS on decision-making skills, self-confidence levels, and anxiety of psychiatric nursing students. Students participating in the study will be divided into two groups: intervention and control groups. Read more about this study
- Who is it for?
- Ages 18 to 23 yearsHealthy volunteers can take part
- Conditions the study is for
- Clinical Decision Making
- What is being tested?
- Virtual Reality Simulation
- Could I receive a placebo?
- No, everyone receives an active treatment
- How many people
- 32 participants
- Where
- 1 siteTurkey (Türkiye)
- Study dates
- 1 Mar 2026to 1 Jul 2026
- Phase
- Interventional
- Are there results?
- Not yet: the study is under way
Key requirements
Who can take part, as listed by the sponsor. Only the study team can confirm whether you are eligible, so take this list to your doctor.
- Ages 18 to 23 years
- All sexes
- Healthy volunteers accepted
- Adult
Who may be able to join
- To be registered for the Psychiatric Nursing course in the 2024-2025 spring semester,
- To be taking the Psychiatric Nursing course for the first time,
- To attend the course regularly,
- Not to have received any training with virtual reality simulation within the scope of the Psychiatric Nursing course before,
- Not to have practiced in a Mental Health and Diseases clinic before
Who cannot join
- Not registered for a Psychiatric Nursing course.
- Having previously taken a Psychiatric Nursing course.
- Not attending class regularly.
- Having previously received training with a schizophrenia simulation.
- Having previously practiced in a Mental Health and Diseases clinic.
Trial locations and contacts
1 site in 1 country. Contact the study team or a site near you to ask about taking part.
Turkey (Türkiye)1 site, 1 recruiting
- Recruiting
Istanbul Arel University
Istanbul
Arzu Dikici, PhD
About this study
Official title: The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Simulation in Psychiatric Nursing Students and Its Impact on Their Confidence and Anxiety Levels in Clinical Decision-Making: A Randomized Controlled Study
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of VRS on decision-making skills, self-confidence levels, and anxiety of psychiatric nursing students. Students participating in the study will be divided into two groups: intervention and control groups. VRS, which includes a scenario of a patient with schizophrenia, will be applied to the intervention group at the beginning of the academic term, before students start clinical practice, and in the middle of the term. The control group will be subjected to theoretical courses and clinical practice. Data will be collected using the Clinical Decision-Making, Self-Confidence, and Anxiety Scale, Personal Information Form, and Modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool. Measurements will be performed at three time points: before the simulation, in the middle of the academic term, and at the end of the academic term. In addition, debriefing sessions will be held with students participating in VRS in groups of 4-5 within the scope of the simulation process. It is expected that the findings obtained as a result of the study will make significant contributions to the literature in understanding the effects of VRS on psychiatric nursing education. At the same time, this study aims to demonstrate that this VRS, designed specifically for the Turkish language and culture, can be an effective tool to increase the self-confidence levels of psychiatric nursing students in their clinical decision-making processes and to reduce their anxiety levels within the scope of the psychiatric nursing course. The results of the study are intended to guide the development of new approaches to the use of technology in psychiatric nursing education and the integration of technology-based VRS into the psychiatric nursing curriculum.
Read the detailed description
This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the impact of a schizophrenia-focused virtual reality simulation (VRS) on clinical decision-making skills. This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the impact of a schizophrenia-focused virtual reality simulation (VRS) on clinical decision-making skills, self-confidence, and anxiety levels of undergraduate psychiatric nursing students. The study will be conducted with second- or third-year nursing students enrolled in a psychiatric nursing course at a university in Türkiye.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will participate in VRS, which includes an interactive, gamified simulation scenario based on a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia. This simulation will be conducted twice: once at the beginning of the academic term, prior to clinical placement, and again at mid-term. Each simulation session will be followed by structured debriefing sessions held in small groups (4-5 students), led by a trained facilitator to enhance reflective learning and reinforce clinical reasoning.
The control group will receive standard psychiatric nursing education, consisting of theoretical lectures and routine clinical practice, without exposure to VRS.
Data will be collected using the Clinical Decision-Making Scale, Self-Confidence Scale, Anxiety Scale, Personal Information Form, and the Modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool (SET-M). Measurements will be taken at three time points: (1) before the first VRS session or clinical practice, (2) at mid-term, and (3) at the end of the academic term.
This study is expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of how technology-enhanced, culturally tailored simulation tools affect learning outcomes in psychiatric nursing education. Specifically, it aims to demonstrate that VRS can enhance students' self-confidence in clinical decision-making and reduce their anxiety before and during psychiatric clinical placements. The findings are anticipated to guide the future integration of digital simulation technologies into psychiatric nursing curricula in Türkiye and globally.
- Conditions
- Clinical Decision Making
- Being tested
- Virtual Reality Simulation
- Keywords
- virtual reality, simulation, clinical decision making, mental health nursing, students
What participants receive
What participants receive. In a randomised study each person is assigned to one group by chance.
Virtual Reality SimulationOther
Virtual reality simulation of a patient with schizophrenia
| Study group | Role | What they receive |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality simulation of a patient with schizophrenia | Experimental | Virtual reality simulation will be applied to psychiatric nursing course students. The same students will participate in the theoretical and practical training of the psychiatric nursing course Receives: Other: Virtual Reality Simulation |
| Control: Standard psychiatric nursing education | No intervention | The control group will receive standard psychiatric nursing education consisting of theoretical lectures and routine clinical practice without VRS |
What is being measured
The primary outcome is the main question the study is designed to answer.
Clinical decision-making skills assessed by the Clinical Decision-Making Scale
Clinical decision-making skills of psychiatric nursing students will be measured using the Clinical Decision-Making Scale at baseline, mid-term, and end of academic term.
Measured: Baseline, mid-term (week 8), and end of academic term (week 16)
Self-confidence assessed by the Self-Confidence Scale
Self-confidence levels of psychiatric nursing students will be measured using the Self-Confidence Scale at baseline, mid-term, and end of academic term
Measured: Baseline, mid-term (week 8), and end of academic term (week 16)
Timeline
From the start of the study to its completion; the mark is today. Estimated dates are the sponsor’s plan.
- First posted23 Jun 2026
- Study start1 Mar 2026
- Primary completion30 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
Resources
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govThe registry entry this page is built from, with its full change history.
- Other trials for Clinical Decision MakingStudies of the same condition, open and under way.
- What the trial phases meanHow a treatment moves from first tests in people to approval.
More details
For doctors and researchers: how the study is designed, who runs it, and its registry IDs.
Study design
- Study type
- Interventional
- Phase
- Phase N/A
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind
- Who is masked
- Investigator, Outcomes assessor
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (estimated)
Sponsor and investigators
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul Arel University
- Sponsor type
- University, hospital or other
- Responsible party
- Principal investigator, Arzu DIKICI, Istanbul Arel University
IDs, dates and publications
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07663851
- Sponsor's protocol ID
- E-52857131-050.04-735125
- Other IDs
- Istanbul Arel University
- Acronym
- VR
- Status last verified
- Jun 2026
- First submitted
- 21 Mar 2025
- Last updated
- 23 Jun 2026
- Results posted
- No
- Data monitoring committee
- No
- FDA-regulated drug
- No
- FDA-regulated device
- No
- Individual data sharing
- Yes: Orchid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0077-9264
Study at a glance
From the registry record, last updated by the sponsor on 23 Jun 2026. Recruitment status is as the sponsor reported it: confirm with the study team.
- Official title
- The Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Simulation in Psychiatric Nursing Students and Its Impact on Their Confidence and Anxiety Levels in Clinical Decision-Making: A Randomized Controlled Study
- ClinicalTrials.gov ID
- NCT07663851
- Acronym / sponsor ID
- VR / E-52857131-050.04-735125
- Conditions
- Clinical Decision Making
- Keywords
- virtual reality, simulation, clinical decision making, mental health nursing, students
- Study type
- Interventional
- Recruitment status
- Recruiting
- Enrolment
- 32 participants (estimated)
- Lead sponsor
- Istanbul Arel UniversityUniversity, hospital or other
- Study start
- 1 Mar 2026 (actual)
- Primary completion
- 30 Jun 2026 (estimated)
- Study completion
- 1 Jul 2026 (estimated)
- First posted
- 23 Jun 2026 (actual)
- Results
- Not posted in the source record
Clinical summary
The research question as the sponsor registered it. This describes what the study plans to test, not what it found.
This randomized controlled trial aims to evaluate the effects of VRS on decision-making skills, self-confidence levels, and anxiety of psychiatric nursing students. Students participating in the study will be divided into two groups: intervention and control groups. VRS, which includes a scenario of a patient with schizophrenia, will be applied to the intervention group at the beginning of the academic term, before students start clinical practice, and in the middle of the term. The control group will be subjected to theoretical courses and clinical practice. Data will be collected using the Clinical Decision-Making, Self-Confidence, and Anxiety Scale, Personal Information Form, and Modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool. Measurements will be performed at three time points: before the simulation, in the middle of the academic term, and at the end of the academic term. In addition, debriefing sessions will be held with students participating in VRS in groups of 4-5 within the scope of the simulation process. It is expected that the findings obtained as a result of the study will make significant contributions to the literature in understanding the effects of VRS on psychiatric nursing education. At the same time, this study aims to demonstrate that this VRS, designed specifically for the Turkish language and culture, can be an effective tool to increase the self-confidence levels of psychiatric nursing students in their clinical decision-making processes and to reduce their anxiety levels within the scope of the psychiatric nursing course. The results of the study are intended to guide the development of new approaches to the use of technology in psychiatric nursing education and the integration of technology-based VRS into the psychiatric nursing curriculum.
Detailed description
This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the impact of a schizophrenia-focused virtual reality simulation (VRS) on clinical decision-making skills. This randomized controlled trial aims to investigate the impact of a schizophrenia-focused virtual reality simulation (VRS) on clinical decision-making skills, self-confidence, and anxiety levels of undergraduate psychiatric nursing students. The study will be conducted with second- or third-year nursing students enrolled in a psychiatric nursing course at a university in Türkiye.
Participants will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will participate in VRS, which includes an interactive, gamified simulation scenario based on a patient diagnosed with schizophrenia. This simulation will be conducted twice: once at the beginning of the academic term, prior to clinical placement, and again at mid-term. Each simulation session will be followed by structured debriefing sessions held in small groups (4-5 students), led by a trained facilitator to enhance reflective learning and reinforce clinical reasoning.
The control group will receive standard psychiatric nursing education, consisting of theoretical lectures and routine clinical practice, without exposure to VRS.
Data will be collected using the Clinical Decision-Making Scale, Self-Confidence Scale, Anxiety Scale, Personal Information Form, and the Modified Simulation Effectiveness Tool (SET-M). Measurements will be taken at three time points: (1) before the first VRS session or clinical practice, (2) at mid-term, and (3) at the end of the academic term.
This study is expected to contribute significantly to the understanding of how technology-enhanced, culturally tailored simulation tools affect learning outcomes in psychiatric nursing education. Specifically, it aims to demonstrate that VRS can enhance students' self-confidence in clinical decision-making and reduce their anxiety before and during psychiatric clinical placements. The findings are anticipated to guide the future integration of digital simulation technologies into psychiatric nursing curricula in Türkiye and globally.
Study design
- Primary purpose
- Other
- Allocation
- Randomised
- Intervention model
- Crossover
- Masking
- Double blind (investigator, outcomes assessor)
- Number of arms
- 2
| Arm | Type | Receives |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual reality simulation of a patient with schizophrenia | Experimental | Other: Virtual Reality SimulationVirtual reality simulation will be applied to psychiatric nursing course students. The same students will participate in the theoretical and practical training of the psychiatric nursing course |
| Control: Standard psychiatric nursing education | No intervention | –The control group will receive standard psychiatric nursing education consisting of theoretical lectures and routine clinical practice without VRS |
Who may qualify
- Ages
- 18 to 23 years
- Sex
- All
- Healthy volunteers
- Accepted
- Age groups
- Adult
Key inclusion criteria (5 listed)
- To be registered for the Psychiatric Nursing course in the 2024-2025 spring semester,
- To be taking the Psychiatric Nursing course for the first time,
- To attend the course regularly,
- Not to have received any training with virtual reality simulation within the scope of the Psychiatric Nursing course before,
- Not to have practiced in a Mental Health and Diseases clinic before
Key exclusion criteria (5 listed)
- Not registered for a Psychiatric Nursing course.
- Having previously taken a Psychiatric Nursing course.
- Not attending class regularly.
- Having previously received training with a schizophrenia simulation.
- Having previously practiced in a Mental Health and Diseases clinic.
Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening; this overview does not establish that a patient qualifies. Full inclusion and exclusion criteria.
Interventions
| Intervention | Type | Arms |
|---|---|---|
| Virtual Reality SimulationVirtual reality simulation of a patient with schizophrenia | Other | Virtual reality simulation of a patient with schizophrenia |
Primary outcome
Clinical decision-making skills assessed by the Clinical Decision-Making Scale
Time frame: Baseline, mid-term (week 8), and end of academic term (week 16)
Clinical decision-making skills of psychiatric nursing students will be measured using the Clinical Decision-Making Scale at baseline, mid-term, and end of academic term.
Self-confidence assessed by the Self-Confidence Scale
Time frame: Baseline, mid-term (week 8), and end of academic term (week 16)
Self-confidence levels of psychiatric nursing students will be measured using the Self-Confidence Scale at baseline, mid-term, and end of academic term
Results and safety
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
Research links
- Official record on ClinicalTrials.govLast updated by the sponsor 23 Jun 2026.
- Individual participant dataSharing planned: Yes. Orchid ID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-0077-9264
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Referral and contact
AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals. Contact the study team or a site listed below; they decide who can take part.
1 site in 1 country: see every site and its status.
Questions about this trial
What is this clinical trial studying?
A study testing Virtual Reality Simulation in people with Clinical Decision Making, run by Istanbul Arel University at 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye).
The full registered description is in the About this study section and the official record.
Who may be eligible to take part?
The sponsor lists 5 inclusion and 5 exclusion criteria. Eligibility is decided by the study team after screening, so read the full criteria and contact a listed site.
Is this clinical trial currently recruiting?
The record says: looking for participants now, as of the sponsor's last update on 23 Jun 2026. Status can change between updates, so confirm with the study contact before making plans.
Where is the study taking place?
The record lists 1 site in Turkey (Türkiye). Whether a site is taking part right now should be confirmed with that site. See every site.
What are the possible benefits and risks?
They depend on the study and the treatment, and no study can promise a benefit. The study team explains the known risks during informed consent, before anyone joins; the record itself does not list them.
Are results available for this study?
This study is still under way. Results are not available in the source record yet.
How can a doctor refer a patient or contact the research team?
Contact Arzu DİKİCİ, Dr. (0530 037 21 80, arzudikici@arel.edu.tr), or a site near the patient. AzTrials does not enrol participants or take referrals.
What does the primary outcome measure?
Clinical decision-making skills assessed by the Clinical Decision-Making Scale (time frame: Baseline, mid-term (week 8), and end of academic term (week 16)). The study lists 2 primary outcomes in all. It is what the study was designed to measure, not a finding.
Where can I read the original study information?
Does a listing mean the treatment is approved or proven to work?
No. A listing means the study is registered. It does not show that the treatment is safe, works, or is approved by a regulator.
How often is this information updated?
AzTrials copies changed records from ClinicalTrials.gov every night and reloads the whole registry every week. The sponsor last updated this record on 23 Jun 2026.