Abstract
<jats:p>Background: Nurses routinely navigate high emotional demands and heavy workloads. Resilience is a critical competency for sustaining professional well-being and ensuring safe, person-centered care. Immersive technologies such as extended reality (XR) offer new possibilities for developing emotional and cognitive competencies within simulated, controllable, and clinically authentic environments. Objectives: To explore the experiences, needs, and expectations of nurses in Madrid regarding XR-based resilience training within the European XR2ESILIENCE project, with the aim of training mental health skills in virtual scenarios relevant to real-world practice. Methods: We conducted a qualitative study using a hybrid analytic approach. Four focus groups were held between February and March 2025 across three level-II hospitals and one out-of-hospital emergency service in Madrid, Spain. Twenty-six nurses were recruited through theoretical sampling. Data were analyzed through open and axial coding to identify emergent categories and their interrelationships. Standards for Reporting Qualitative Research (SRQR) guidelines were followed. Results: Three overarching categories were identified: (1) expectations surrounding XR, including the need for realistic and customizable training scenarios; (2) perceived barriers, such as workload pressures and digital skill gaps; and (3) facilitators and opportunities, including professional motivation and openness to innovation. The relational analysis showed how organizational conditions shaped nurses’ receptivity to XR and their capacity to cultivate resilience. Conclusions: Nurses viewed XR as a promising resource for strengthening resilience and managing work-related stress. Implementation will require participatory planning, adequate resources, and protected training time. These findings provide direction for developing XR-based educational programs.</jats:p>