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The Ohio University College of Health Sciences and Professions’ School of Nursing is putting virtual reality to use in the classroom. Assistant professor Sherleena Buchman helped create a Narcan simulation during the 2018 spring semester. Since then, the initial video simulation has been transformed into a virtual reality simulation.

A 360-degree video was made from cameras surrounding the Narcan simulation, which features two college students discovering a friend experiencing an opioid overdose. Throughout the scene, the students call 911 and work together to help their friend by administering Narcan.

“Using virtual reality goggles, the person can turn around and see everything. It’s really amazing,” Buchman shared with the CHSP Newsroom. “When you look down, you can see them going through the bag looking for Narcan. If you hear a noise, you can turn your head to look in that direction to see what’s going on. It’s just like you were physically in the room.”

Buchman believes that as the simulation becomes more realistic, the students will learn even more than they could in a traditional nursing education setting. Currently, this simulation is only available in the university’s GRID Lab, but Buchman is working to have the simulation eventually available on all smartphones. The simulation will help students learn not only about Narcan and how to administer it, but how to view and think about addiction without a stigma.

“It leaves you with a feeling of ‘Wow, I just watched someone overdose and watched them come back,’” said Buchman. “The reactions viewers gave were interesting and emotional. They showed compassion as we sometimes don’t consider the side of the actual person who overdosed and the feelings of those that found them.”

Currently this simulation is only available for laymen, but Buchman is working on another version specifically for Ohio University’s nursing students that can be used as a teaching tool. She feels excited and grateful about her success with the simulations so far.

“It’s been a pretty amazing journey. I love technology, simulation and education and the students today have grown up with technology in their hands. This is a way we can impact them that’s familiar,” Buchman said. “It’s amazing to think that we can help create something that will help patients and help our community by impacting this generation of students and community members who see this and will be able to carry out these actions on their own.”

Lily Miller
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