Developing Disability Awareness, Attitude, and Empathy in Nursing Students

Abstract Individuals with disabilities frequently face barriers to accessing healthcare services due to physical, social, economic, and policy-related factors. As essential members of the healthcare workforce, nurses play a critical role in addressing these inequities. Previous studies focusing on disability awareness, attitudes, and empathy highlight the need for high-quality research employing mixed-method, simulation-based interventions aimed at enhancing awareness and empathy, fostering positive attitudes, and supporting learning outcomes. However, the existing literature lacks studies that simultaneously compare different simulation methods and comprehensively evaluate awareness, attitudes, and empathy using a multidimensional approach. This study aims to examine the effectiveness of simulation-based interventions-standardized patient encounters and virtual reality training-in improving nursing students' awareness, strengthening positive attitudes, and increasing sensitivity in the delivery of healthcare services to individuals with disabilities. The findings are expected to support the integration and expansion of disability-focused simulation practices in nursing curricula and contribute to the development of evidence-based nursing education programs. Keywords: nursing students; disability; attitude; simulation; virtual reality