Perceptions of Virtual Reality Integration in Nursing and Midwifery Education: Insights from Educators

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Background Virtual Reality (VR) is increasingly recognised as a promising tool in health professions education, offering immersive environments that support clinical skills development and decision-making. Despite its potential, limited evidence exists on educators’ perceptions of VR integration, particularly in resource-variable contexts. Objective This study explored nursing and midwifery educators’ perceptions of VR integration within their clinical training, examining perceived benefits, implementation challenges, and strategies for sustainable curricular incorporation. Methods A qualitative descriptive design guided by Kirkpatrick’s Four-Level Training Evaluation Model was employed, the study conducted four focus group discussions with 22 nurse educators from two purposively selected South African universities, one urban with established VR infrastructure and one rural institution with limited resources. Data were analysed using reflexive thematic analysis. Results Four themes emerged: (1) immersive educational benefits and enhanced student learning; (2) high-value applications and curricular integration; (3) essential facilitation strategies for sustainability and (4) implementation challenges and barriers. VR was perceived as a powerful complementary tool, not a replacement for clinical practice. Conclusion Sustainable VR integration requires intentional pedagogical alignment, institutional support, and policy embedding. Findings inform best-practice guidelines for VR adoption in nursing and midwifery education across diverse contexts.

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