Introducing Virtual Reality as a Novel Education Tool to the Dementia Education Program for Nursing Staff in a Teaching Hospital in Singapore

Introducing Virtual Reality as a Novel Educational Tool in a Dementia Education Program for Nursing Staff in a Teaching Hospital in Singapore

Background:

 Singapore's rapidly ageing population has led to increasing numbers of older adults living with dementia, many of whom are hospitalized with behavioural and psychological symptoms of dementia (BPSD). These symptoms present significant challenges for healthcare professionals and are associated with caregiver burden, workplace stress, and frequent use of physical and chemical restraints. Conventional dementia education provides essential knowledge but may not fully convey the lived experience of persons with dementia (PWD). This project introduced locally developed virtual reality (VR) scenarios as an adjunct to an existing dementia education programme for nursing staff in a Singapore teaching hospital.

Methodology:

This  project employed a mixed-method intervention design to examine the role and effectiveness of using virtual reality (VR) to complement the traditional workshop-based training. Participants received didactic teaching on dementia, delirium, and person-centred care, followed by immersive VR experiences depicting first-person perspectives of individuals living with dementia. Post-intervention evaluation included quantitative and qualitative online surveys, thematic analysis of open-ended responses, and facilitator observations assessing engagement, empathy, acceptability, and feasibility of VR-based learning.

Results: A total of 172 nurses completed the evaluation. Most participants (85.5%, n=147) reported increased emotional engagement and empathy towards PWD following the VR experience. Five themes emerged from qualitative analysis: (1) perspective-taking and experiential learning, (2) enhanced empathy and compassion, (3) improved recognition of dementia symptoms and reality validation, (4) increased awareness of caregiver and family burden, and (5) educational value and practical application. 

Conclusion: VR-based dementia education is a feasible and impactful adjunct to traditional nursing education. By providing immersive insight into the lived experiences of PWD, VR enhances empathy, improves understanding of BPSD, and supports person-centred dementia care. This innovative educational approach has the potential to reduce restraint use, improve patient and caregiver outcomes, and strengthen dementia care competencies among nursing staff.