Systematic Review: Effect of extended reality simulation intervention on midwifery students’ anxiety (Preprint)

Abstract

BACKGROUND Midwifery students often experience anxiety due to several factors such as the clinical experiences faced. Simulation-based learning in nursing and midwifery studies using extended reality (XR) tools offers the opportunity to better manage educational processes while reducing this anxiety. OBJECTIVE This study aims to evaluate the current understanding of how the use of XR gesture-simulation-based tools allows a better understanding of the anxiety levels of midwives and nurses in educational settings. METHODS We conducted a systematic review. A scientific literature search using PubMed, IEEE, Scopus, and Web of Science, up to March 2024, was performed to identify studies that reported the effectiveness of these technologies for gesture simulation in education and training on nursing and midwifery student anxiety. RESULTS Seven articles, involving a total of 428 participants, were included in this review. The findings indicate that XR can effectively reduce anxiety in midwifery and nursing education. CONCLUSIONS However, the limited number of studies highlights a research gap in the field, particularly in the area of mixed reality, which warrants further exploration.