Mixed reality vs video vs instructor training for nasogastric tube insertion in first-year nursing students
Comparing Mixed Reality, Video-Based, and Instructor-Led Training in Nasogastric Tube Insertion: A Randomized Controlled Trial Assessing Learning Outcomes, Usability, and Student Experiences in Nursing Education
This project will test whether mixed reality glasses, a point-of-view video, or traditional instructor-led teaching best helps first-year nursing students learn and retain how to insert a nasogastric tube.
Quick facts
| Phase | Not applicable |
|---|---|
| Study type | Interventional |
| Enrollment | 160 (estimated) |
| Ages | 18 Years and up |
| Sex | All |
| Sponsor | University of Turku Academic / other |
| Locations | 1 site (Turku) |
| Trial ID | NCT07293663 on ClinicalTrials.gov |
What this trial studies
This randomized trial enrolls first-year nursing students with no prior nasogastric tube (NGT) experience and randomizes them to mixed reality (Meta Quest 3) training, a point-of-view video lesson, or standard instructor-led instruction using identical procedural content. Participants practice on simulators, complete performance assessments and usability/user-experience questionnaires immediately after training, and repeat the procedure six months later to measure retention. The mixed reality arm uses an interactive stepwise application with prior device familiarization, the video arm views a head-mounted camera recording, and the instructor arm receives conventional hands-on coaching. Primary outcomes include technical performance of NGT insertion, usability scores, and self-reported learning experience.
Who should consider this trial
Good fit: Ideal participants are first-year nursing students who have never performed or received prior instruction on NGT insertion and who do not have epilepsy or a pacemaker.
Not a fit: Students with prior nursing qualifications or previous NGT experience, or those with contraindications to mixed reality equipment (such as epilepsy or a pacemaker), are unlikely to gain benefit from participation.
Why it matters
Potential benefit: If successful, one training method could help students learn NGT insertion more quickly and retain the skill longer, which may reduce patient risk from incorrect tube placement.
How similar studies have performed: Traditional instructor-led and video-based training are well-established for procedural skills, while mixed reality has shown promising but still limited evidence for improving clinical-skill learning in early trials.
Eligibility criteria
Show full inclusion / exclusion criteria
Inclusion Criteria: * First-year nursing student * Performing nasogastric tube (NGT) insertion for the first time * No prior theoretical education or pre-material on NGT insertion procedure Exclusion Criteria: * Previous nursing education (e.g., practical nurse qualification) * Diagnosis of epilepsy * Presence of a pacemaker
Where this trial is running
Turku
- Turku University of Applied Sciences — Turku, Finland (Recruiting)
Study contacts
- Principal investigator: Marika Leppänen, Doctoral Researcher — University of Turku, Department of Nursing Science
- Study coordinator: Marika Leppänen, Doctoral Researcher
- Email: marika.t.leppanen@utu.fi
- Phone: +358505331989
How to participate
- Review the eligibility criteria above with your treating physician.
- Visit the official trial page on ClinicalTrials.gov for the most current contact information and recruitment status.
- Contact the listed study coordinator or principal investigator to request pre-screening. Pre-screening is free and never obligates you to enroll.