SynthesisJournal of medical Internet research2024
Effectiveness of Virtual Simulations Versus Mannequins and Real Persons in Medical and Nursing Education: Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials.
Synthesis in Journal of medical Internet research, 2024. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 10 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
Neither the registry nor the abstract names a trial number. If this is a trial report, that itself is worth knowing.
Who cites it
10 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Effects of High-Fidelity Simulation Training on Learning Outcomes and Satisfaction for Practising Registered Nurses: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.Journal of clinical nursing · 2026Pooled it
- Finding the right words: preparing medical students for communication on the wish for hastened death - medical students' perceptions of drama-based and online communication training.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Virtual reality simulation for chemotherapy drug spill management training in pharmacy education: A cohort-allocated crossover quasi-experimental study in Taiwan.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Cost-effectiveness of virtual patient integration in dermatology education: evidence for precision education by learner expertise.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Virtual vs. standardized patients - a preliminary comparison of advantages and disadvantages of a VR and a conventional learning unit for medical students in child and adolescent psychiatry.BMC medical education · 2026Article
- Virtual patients and standardized patients combined training is associated with improved clinical reasoning among medical students.Frontiers in medicine · 2026Article
- Perceptions of Chinese higher-vocational nursing program directors on digital transformation: A qualitative study.PloS one · 2026Article
- The Effects of Virtual Reality on Hope and Travel Expectations in Healthy and Hospitalized Children: Quasi-Experimental Design Approach.Interactive journal of medical research · 2025Article
- Article
- Mapping the Landscape: A Systematic Review of Technology Trends in Medical Education and Competency Development.Advances in medical education and practice · 2025Review
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundVirtual simulation (VS) is a developing education approach with the recreation of reality using digital technology. The teaching effectiveness of VSs compared to mannequins and real persons (RPs) has never been investigated in medical and nursing education.
objectiveThis study aims to compare VSs and mannequins or RPs in improving the following clinical competencies: knowledge, procedural skills, clinical reasoning, and communication skills.
methodsFollowing Cochrane methodology, a meta-analysis was conducted on the effectiveness of VSs in pre- and postregistration medical or nursing participants. The Cochrane Library, PubMed, Embase, and Educational Resource Information Centre databases were searched to identify English-written randomized controlled trials up to August 2024. Two authors independently selected studies, extracted data, and assessed the risk of bias. All pooled estimates were based on random-effects models and assessed by trial sequential analyses. Leave-one-out, subgroup, and univariate meta-regression analyses were performed to explore sources of heterogeneity.
resultsA total of 27 studies with 1480 participants were included. Overall, there were no significant differences between VSs and mannequins or RPs in improving knowledge (standard mean difference [SMD]=0.08; 95% CI -0.30 to 0.47; I
conclusionsGiven favorable cost-utility plus high flexibility regarding time and space, VSs are viable alternatives to traditional face-to-face learning modalities. The comparative effectiveness of VSs deserves to be followed up with the emergence of new technology. In addition, further investigation of VSs with different design features will provide novel insights to drive education reform.
trial registrationPROSPERO CRD42023466622; https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?RecordID=466622.
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Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.