Long-Term Impact of Body Interact on Nursing and Medical Education
Enhancing Clinical Learning at Andrés Bello University, Chile
Over the past decade, Andrés Bello University (UNAB) has progressively integrated Body Interact into its medical and nursing programs, transforming the way students engage with clinical learning. Across its three campuses, 838 students have trained with virtual patient simulation, gaining hands-on experience in clinical reasoning and decision-making in a safe, controlled environment and preparing them for real-world patient care.
According to Professor Victoria Arriagada, Body Interact is currently used to enhance individual and group learning. It allows students to engage with clinical scenarios in two distinct ways:
- Group practice – Students work in teams of up to six, actively collaborating on clinical cases, making decisions together, and experiencing the direct impact of their choices in real-time.
- Guided observation: Students analyze the evolving scenario in tutored sessions on synchronized screens. In this format, students collectively analyze the case, discuss possible interventions, and decide on the next steps while the teacher executes their decisions within the app. This approach allows them to see the outcomes of their clinical reasoning without being focused on manual interaction.
Beyond strengthening clinical competencies, UNAB is actively evaluating the impact of virtual patient platforms on health education. Initial findings show an average satisfaction score of 7.59 out of 10, reflecting the positive reception among students.
Through focus groups, students have highlighted Body Interact’s dynamism, user-friendly interface, and flexibility for self-paced practice outside of class. Many also find team-based simulations engaging and enjoyable, appreciating the opportunity to make clinical decisions in a realistic yet low-risk environment.
The Integration of Body Interact into Undergraduate Health Education
Over the years, George Brown College has been at the forefront of integrating Body Interact into undergraduate nursing education. The institution purchased its first virtual patient simulation table in 2016. It has since expanded its use, strategically embedding the technology into the curriculum guided by Rogers’ Diffusion of Innovation Theory framework.
The initial phase focused on faculty adoption. It introduced Body Interact to faculty directors and school staff through newsletters, workshops, and open houses, aiming to familiarize them with the technology. Within four months, Body Interact progressed from pilot testing to becoming a foundational tool within the Nursing School.
By 2019, faculty had authored their first custom simulation scenario, aligning the tool with their educational objectives. By 2023, Body Interact had become a core component of health assessment classes, providing students with immersive, hands-on experiences that enhanced clinical judgment and prioritization skills.
Looking ahead to 2025, Michael Eliadis shared the institution’s plans to expand into a hybrid learning approach, combining Body Interact with other simulation modalities to maximize the potential of the school’s diverse tools to deliver the most comprehensive learning experiences.
As student engagement continues to grow, this innovative approach further reinforces the value of virtual patient simulations in preparing future nurses for real-world clinical practice.
