UNC Charlotte’s School of Nursing runs a comprehensive simulation programme, supporting both undergraduate and graduate students across a range of clinical scenarios.
When Coordinator of Simulation and Interdisciplinary Practice Melinda Pierce identified a gap in soft skills training she turned to Bodyswaps to provide an immersive, reflective learning experience.
Bodyswaps has really filled a need that we knew we had and didn’t quite know how to fill.
- Introduce immersive learning in a scalable, accessible format.
- Build confidence among undergraduates before their first clinical placements.
- Address soft skills gaps and equip students with the communication skills needed for difficult patient interactions.
Deployment
Flexible, curriculum-wide use
Deployed via headsets and laptops, Bodyswaps supports both in-lab and remote learning. It’s now integrated into multiple courses.
Graduate research pilot
Bodyswaps launched in the nurse practitioner program through a research study using the Angry Patient scenario. Students completed pre- and post-assessments to evaluate changes in communication self-efficacy.
Undergraduate clinical prep
Undergrads used Bodyswaps in health assessment and senior simulation to practice patient conversations ahead of clinical placements, boosting confidence and readiness.
Impact
- Increased student confidence: Undergrad students felt more prepared for clinicals after practising with virtual patients.
- Improved self-awareness: Graduate students initially overestimated their skills, but reflective feedback helped them identify gaps.
- Faculty and admin buy-in: Early scepticism shifted to enthusiastic adoption across the school.
Advice
- Start with a small pilot to prove the value and educate administrators on where VR fits into curriculum goals.
- Identify faculty champions to drive integration across courses and use VR & non-VR options to maximise access.
We found the nurse practitioner students loved the experience and they felt that it showed them areas that they needed to improve on that they did not know they needed to improve.
They felt like they were competent and confident in doing this activity, but when they actually had to do it, some things crashed and burned. And so, they felt like [Bodyswaps] was very valuable to them.
Future plans
In the next academic year, Melinda and the team will be adding Bodyswaps to the placement rotations, acting as a “clinical site” students will rotate through for practice, in order to accommodate a larger group of mental health nursing students.
