University in Winston-Salem, NC, Offers Virtual Reality Program
Winston-Salem State University works to ease nursing shortages with new virtual reality program.
Greater Winston-Salem, NC, like many other regions across the United States, is facing a nursing shortage that has significant implications for the local health care system.
However, thanks to the nursing program at Winston-Salem State University (WSSU), which stands out as a premier institution for aspiring health care professionals, the region is taking this issue head on by embracing the future.
Recently, the university’s nursing program partnered with the School of Filmmaking at the University of North Carolina School of the Arts (UNCSA) to develop a virtual reality program that enables nursing students to step into realistic health care scenarios, providing them with valuable hands-on experience and enhancing their clinical skills and critical thinking abilities. The collaboration is funded through an $800,000 grant through the North Carolina General Assembly’s Historically Minority-Serving Institutions Grant Program. WSSU is the first Historically Black College and University in the state to implement such a program.
“I am so very proud of our health sciences faculty and staff for leading the way in virtual reality,” says Elwood Robinson, former chancellor of WSSU. “They have once again placed WSSU at the forefront of medical technology. As one of our state’s highest producers of nurses, it was imperative for us to rethink training, given the current challenges. VR will help us fill these gaps while positioning our students for long-term success. The collaboration with UNCSA has been stellar. We are all appreciative of their work to launch this groundbreaking initiative.”
The curriculum is the product of the Media + Emerging Technology Lab at UNCSA’s School of Filmmaking and its industry partners, Looking Glass XR and Out of Our Minds Studios. Through virtual reality, students can navigate virtual hospital settings, interact with lifelike patients, and practice a wide range of nursing procedures in a safe and controlled environment. The nursing program’s integration of virtual reality technology positions it as a leader in preparing nursing professionals who are well-equipped to address the complex health care challenges of today and tomorrow.
The university offers undergraduate, graduate and advanced degrees in nursing, including an accelerated bachelor of science in nursing (BSN) program that allows students with a bachelor’s degree in another field to earn a BSN in just 13 months. WSSU also boasts a paramedic to BSN and LPN (licensed practical nurse) to BSN program, which allows students to apply their work experience as credit toward a bachelor’s degree.
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