Virtual Children's Hospital for Learning Pediatric Nursing

<< Objectives >>The VirPed project wants to enhance the ways pediatric nurses are taught, because at the moment there is great variation in European countries regarding nurses pediatric specialization. The education of nurses working with children and families needs to include speciliazed knowledge, skills, attitudes and behaviours that will empower them to provide optimal and high quality care. VirPed will create a virtual children’s hospital in Turku UAS Metaverse to provide an immersive learning experience.<< Implementation >>During VirPed, an international interactive virtual reality learning environment is developed to host new learning and teaching practices. These methods are designed for four different learning modules. Virtual simulations are developed to support innovative learning practices and flexible, easily accessible and continuous cooperation in teaching and learning. 60 students will pilot the modules, and 200 guests are expected to attend project dissemination events.<< Results >>The project enhances immersive learning in pediatric nursing, as well as comparability of qualifications and learning outcomes, in local, national and international level. Furthermore, VirPed allows cross-national exchange of expertise between academic institutions, transfer of technological innovation, strengthening relationships between HEI as well as new national partnerships to form. In the long term, EU nurses will better know how to treat children according to the required standards.