Our new Virtual Reality App has been built and is in the final stages of editing.  It was created in liaison with two diabetic nurse specialists (Dr Janet James- HSS BU and Simone Penfold- Royal Bournemouth Hospital). Daden expertly programmed the software for the app and are providing a package of training and support.

The next stages will be piloting the app and the administration of a pre-test survey and an MCQ quiz centred around hypoglycaemia.  Second year Nursing students will complete the survey and quiz next week.

At the start of October 2018 second year nursing students will take part in a RCT so that we can test how using a virtual reality diabetic case study compares to traditional taught methods (e.g. a paper case study).  We will be measuring reported student motivation/engagement levels and any improvement in student’s knowledge about hypoglycaemia.  If the trial is a success then in future the proof of concept app might be upgraded and used in the curriculum for nurse training at BY, nursing homes and potentially in hospitals.

The overall aim is to help improve nurse’s knowledge about diabetes because they are very likely to treat diabetic patients on wards, nursing homes and in the community.  From 2025, 5 million people in the UK will have diabetes!

Nash (from Daden Ltd.) demonstrated the VR Diabetes app in Brussels earlier this week.