Building an immersive, five-day virtual aged care placement to prepare nursing students for real-world practice.
Post-graduate nursing students needed realistic exposure to aged care scenarios before their first day on a live placement.
Co-designed a narrative-driven virtual placement featuring a fully branded facility and AI-generated resident and staff avatars.
Delivered an immersive learning experience that bridges the gap between classroom theory and professional practice.
Post-graduate nursing students at the University of New England needed exposure to realistic aged care scenarios before undertaking a live work placement. UNE sought a virtual placement experience that would immerse students in the daily realities of an aged care environment, building confidence and practical awareness ahead of their first day on site.
UNE Partnerships worked with UNE’s subject matter experts to co-design the experience from the ground up. Together, we defined the course structure, developed a complete identity for the simulated aged care facility, and refined the scenario content to ensure authenticity.
The experience was built as a narrative spanning a simulated five-day work placement. Each day opened with a video introduction from a virtual work placement facilitator, setting objectives and expectations before students moved through scenario-based activities reflecting daily aged care responsibilities. AI-generated avatars representing residents and staff delivered realistic, conversational interactions, enabling students to observe and respond to authentic workplace situations as they unfolded. Branded documentation templates aligned with the simulated facility allowed students to complete tasks and record information consistent with professional workplace standards.
The finished product delivered an immersive, narrative-driven virtual placement that prepared students for the realities of aged care practice. The project demonstrated UNE Partnerships’ capacity to combine innovative technology, collaborative co-design and expert instructional design to create learning experiences that bridge the gap between theory and professional practice.