Nurses’ Roles in Metaverse Hospitals: A Document Analysis Using a Foresight Approach

Abstract

Digital health systems and metaverse technologies are transforming healthcare delivery and nursing practice toward patient care through digital platforms and virtual environments. However, knowledge regarding nurses’ roles in metaverse hospitals remains limited, and a clear conceptual framework is still lacking. This conceptual study aimed to analyze and propose a framework for nurses’ roles in metaverse hospitals within the context of digital health transformation. The study employed a narrative literature review, conceptual analysis, and a systems-based foresight approach, together with a case study of the Seoul Metaverse initiative in the Republic of Korea as a reference model. Data were analyzed through trend analysis, identification of driving forces, and scenario development.

The findings revealed that metaverse hospitals are likely to emerge as an extension of future healthcare systems, significantly transforming nursing roles. Four key scenarios were identified: (1) avatar-based nursing practice in virtual hospital environments; (2) integration of nursing services across physical, online, and metaverse settings; (3) the role of nurses as digital health managers working with artificial intelligence for proactive and preventive care; and (4) the integration of health information systems and nursing informatics to support data-driven and ethical decision-making.

In conclusion, metaverse hospitals may serve as complementary healthcare environments that expand nursing roles and improve healthcare accessibility and continuity of care. However, as this study is based on conceptual analysis without empirical data, the findings represent plausible scenarios rather than generalizable results. Future studies should incorporate empirical research to validate and extend these findings in real-world contexts.