Enhancing stress management training and communication skills of nursing students during COVID-19 pandemic based on augmented reality (original) (raw)

Aim: Managing stress and proper communication with clients is a key element in patient-care. Study stress is very common among nursing students during Covid-19 crisis and has weakened trainees' relationship with patients. The aim of this study was to develop stress management training and communication skills of nursing students during Covid-19 crisis based on augmented reality. Methods: In this quasi-experimental study, 46 nursing students undergoing internship at Farabi Hospital in Bastak in 2020 were randomly divided into experimental and control groups. The experimental group participants received augmented reality-based education, and in the control group, education was conducted in the traditional way. The effectiveness of the training was assessed with a researcher-made questionnaire and the data were analyzed using SPSS software and independent t-test. Results: Augmented reality training was more effective than traditional training and independent t-test showed a significant difference between the experimental and control groups (P-Value=0.001). The mean scores of communication skills factors and stress management factors increased in the post-test compared to the pre-test. The mean scores of behavioral stress management, positive thinking, time management and relaxation techniques also increased in the post test. Conclusion: Training of stress management and communication skills to nursing students based on augmented reality can improve learning and increase the effectiveness of training in a stressful hospital environment, especially during COVID-19 conditions.