Disrupting Nursing Education with XR, AI and ML

Using cutting-edge XR, AI/machine learning technology to disrupt nurse education and better prepare graduates for high-stakes, real-world situations.

Problem

Nursing students’ clinical experiences do not ensure they are practice ready. They rarely incorporate competency-based assessments or allow students to gain critical, real-world experience, including performing certain procedures, administering medicines, or working night shifts. Practicing nurses also have full workloads and are focused on care, making the typical preceptor model—pairing one student with one nurse to gain cumulative knowledge and experience—challenging.

What we are doing

Through technology-enabled learning tools deployed across its core curriculum, The Ohio State College of Nursing and College of Engineering team will build students’ competencies that can be validated in clinical experience. Extended reality can provide tailored support based on each student’s needs. The artificial intelligence/machine-learning (AI/ML) tool can address critical points in patient care when decisive nurse interventions make life-or-death differences. This is commonly known as “failure to rescue” and is often a struggle for first-year graduates. The tool will present students with increasingly difficult scenarios, allowing learners to gain competence in a low-stakes environment. The integration of these technologies will transform the curriculum and faculty pedagogy, creating an engaging, effective, and future-focused learning experience.