Simulation type–outcome alignment: high-fidelity formats favour judgment and decision-making, VR and games favour empathy and reflection¶

Claim · All claims
Evidence · 1 study · review r2 · q2
Currency · newest study 2025 · checked against its sources 2026-10-31 (automated, 1 of 1 entry) · not reviewed by a person

Subclaims¶

q2 i? High-fidelity simulations were particularly associated with enhanced clinical judgment and decision-making accuracy, while virtual reality and game-based simulations appeared more effective in fostering empathy and reflective thinking, especially among early-year students. → Daneshfar Majid; Moonaghi Hossein Karimi 2025

Evidence¶

Daneshfar Majid; Moonaghi Hossein Karimi 2025¶

Daneshfar Majid; Moonaghi Hossein Karimi. (2025). The impact of clinical simulation on bridging the theory–practice gap in nursing education: a systematic review. BMC Medical Education. https://doi.org/10.1186/s12909-025-07790-8

q2 · i? · review · r2

The review's cross-study synthesis of the included literature found modality–outcome patterns: "High-fidelity simulations were particularly associated with enhanced clinical judgment and decision-making accuracy" while VR and games favoured empathy and reflective thinking.

"High-fidelity simulations were particularly associated with enhanced clinical judgment and decision-making accuracy [17, 29, 30]. Virtual reality and game-based simulations appeared more effective in fostering empathy and reflective thinking, especially among early-year students"

Discussion¶

Related Claims¶

• Simulation-based education improves nursing students' clinical decision-making, judgment, and self-confidence — related
• The review reports that high-fidelity simulation outperformed case-based discussion for clinical reasoning and leadership in paediatric emergencies — a narrower finding that bears on this claim
• Review syntheses: VR/AR most often improved academic achievement and motivation, but sometimes performed no better than conventional technologies — related
• Immersion in virtual reality adds extraneous load yet can boost transfer, enjoyment, and motivation while leaving retention unaffected — related
• Virtual reality was particularly effective for procedural skill development and knowledge retention in paediatric undergraduate training — related
• Very high majorities of students rated high-fidelity simulation as enhancing learning, clinical reasoning, decision-making, and value — related
• High-fidelity simulation is the most commonly used simulation type in studies of critical thinking — related
• The included studies do not reflect which intervention is better or which favours the acquisition and retention of knowledge more effectively. — reports the opposite