CAW makes virtual reality technology freely available to trainee vet nurses  

The College of Animal Welfare (CAW) has launched free virtual reality software to assist student nurses in preparing for their OSCE exams.

The college has announced that all its veterinary nursing students have been granted a free licence to download the new virtual reality (VR) software to a headset to help with their OSCE preparation.

VR technology has been trialled at the college by selected groups of students during the past year and is now being rolled out to all diploma and undergraduate students.

Final-year BSc Honours Veterinary Nursing student Heather Bruce is one of the students who has experienced the software.

She said: “The VR headsets have been a great addition to my revision for my final-year exams. The headsets are simple and easy to use, giving me confidence that I am still able to revise my practical skills, even if I am not in practice.”

Simulated scenarios

A team of developers designed the software to simulate various scenarios covering both small animal and equine tasks used in OSCE examinations. This provides students with an opportunity to practice and hone their clinical skills in a risk-free, immersive environment.

The software not only teaches students the steps required to successfully pass each task, it also provides them with the ability to undertake mock tests and see how they perform, while highlighting any steps they may have missed, to help with future learning.

While not a mandatory part of the course, the licence will allow CAW students to access VR free of charge for the duration of their programme, should they have a VR headset and wish to use it.

CAW vice-principal Leslie Heaton-Smith said: “For someone like me who does not game, the whole VR experience is an incredible experience.”