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Vaccine hesitancy remains a major public health concern, and nurses often serve as the first point of contact for patients seeking vaccine information. Yet, many nursing students are underprepared to engage in these complex and emotionally charged conversations. This improvement science study examined how a virtual simulation could strengthen first-year nursing students’ confidence and communication skills when discussing vaccination with hesitant patients. The intervention was implemented with Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students at the University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown using the Bodyswaps virtual reality (VR) platform. Students completed an interactive simulation that modeled effective strategies for building trust, demonstrating empathy, and navigating vaccine hesitancy. Guided by the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) improvement framework, student feedback was analyzed to assess changes in confidence and perceived readiness. Findings indicated that students found the Bodyswaps simulation engaging, relevant, and effective in providing a foundational understanding of communication approaches for vaccine hesitancy. Participants reported increased confidence but acknowledged a continued need for additional practice and the opportunity to practice with real patients. Results suggest that integrating virtual simulations early in nursing curricula can help bridge the gap between theoretical learning and clinical readiness. Future PDSA cycles should focus on pairing VR-based training with live simulations and standardized patient encounters to promote deeper skill transfer. This project demonstrates the value of improvement science in designing sustainable, evidence-informed educational interventions that prepare nursing students to address vaccine hesitancy with empathy and confidence.
