When training healthcare learners on how to properly treat and care for patients, one area that without a doubt requires preparedness is conventional resuscitation, especially related to the role of a team leader. To improve resuscitation outcomes and overall performance HealthStream, a leading provider in workforce development solutions, developed a Team Leader Virtual Reality Training Program. This program was designed based on the best available evidence and resuscitation science and empowers team leaders with the skills needed to coordinate team members during a cardiac event through realistic virtual reality simulations.
By using this practical, safe, and scalable solution, team leads can become more confident in their abilities to effectively lead a resuscitation team. In turn, this provides team members with the confidence that their leader can guide them in making the best decisions for each patient. Along with this level of assurance, HealthStream’s Team Leader VR Program helps improve organizational transparency with performance reporting features, preparing leaders to quickly assess scenarios and communicate role responsibilities.
Recommended for healthcare professionals who lead their teams during resuscitation events. , this program is designed to increase flexibility by relaying multiple high-fidelity experiences. This blended approach comes complete with coordinated in-situ healthcare simulations to guide team leaders through a series of questions and information. Together, these experiences enrich the overall learning experience and ultimately help build critical thinking skills required to save patient lives.
“We started developing this virtual reality project in partnership with MedStar SiTEL a couple of years ago, and one of the things that we recognized was that virtual reality presented a unique format to address some specific skills in resuscitation that other educational formats weren’t as good at addressing,” explained Chris McElvogue BSN, RN, CHSE, Director, Product Management, Clinical Programs at HealthStream. “One of those gaps that is well documented and recognized is skills around the team leader. When those behaviors are seen in resuscitation, then resuscitation outcomes improve.”
She noted that these skills include using leadership language and understanding the role of the team leader. The team at HealthStream noticed that these team leader skills were not emphasized in traditional resuscitation education. The company, therefore, saw this as an opportunity to use a virtual reality educational approach to teach the team leaders and help organizations fill that training gap in their ongoing strategy to improve outcomes.
“We developed the team leader VR product as a multimodal educational product. There are actually three modes of learning delivery with the product,” McElvogue said. “You have the virtual reality, which includes three adult patient cases in different environments with different case presentations, where you work in the virtual environment as the team leader and you are directing the team.”
She added that there are also four in-situ, fully developed simulation activities that leaders can use with either low fidelity mannequins or high fidelity mannequins. They are meant to be used in-situ or in the sim lab, and the cases are complementary to the virtual reality cases.
“The idea is that this would be a layered learning experience where you would do the virtual reality and you would do the in-situ mannequin-based mock codes or sims,” McElvogue said. “There are three adult in-situ cases that align with the three adult cases in virtual reality, and there’s one pediatric case that’s a pediatric respiratory arrest.”
The third component of the product is online learning modules. For those new to the team leader role or just really working to enhance their own team leader skills, the short modules take the leaders through the roles and responsibilities of an adult resuscitation. Then, there’s a separate module for a team leader of pediatric resuscitation.
“These components really were developed to be used as a layered learning experience to enhance anyone who is doing advanced life support resuscitation, and their ability to either lead a resuscitation or to be just a better team member,” McElvogue said. “You’re more aware of the role of the team leader, and so that makes you a part of a more effective team.”
Lastly, she shared that one of the main things that really stands apart with this product is that HealthStream intentionally developed it to be multimodal so that leaders would have the benefit of learning in different didactic and experiential ways. This helps best accommodate the needs of different kinds of learners, and really maximizes the benefit of learning across multiple modalities.
“We believe outstanding resuscitation training is essential—and improving the capabilities of clinical team leaders to coordinate and lead others as effectively as possible in a high-stress clinical situation may prove to be a contributing factor in improving resuscitation outcomes,” added Lynn Simon, MD, who serves as President of Clinical Services and Chief Quality Officer for Community Health Systems.
Courseware content includes three VR scenarios, interactive web-based team leader modules, and simulation training modules for facilitators. The program comes complete with modules to prepare learners for in-situ simulation and four in-situ mock codes with multiple fidelity options as well.
More About HealthStream
HealthStream is dedicated to improving patient outcomes through the development of healthcare organizations’ greatest asset: their people. The company’s unified suite of solutions is contracted by, collectively, approximately 4.8 million healthcare employees in the U.S. for workforce development, training and learning management, talent management, credentialing, privileges, provider enrollment, performance assessment, and managing healthcare simulation-based education programs.
These solutions help develop and empower people to deliver the highest quality of care. The company understands clients’ need to maximize resources in an increasingly complex healthcare environment. HealthStream has worked side-by-side with 4,000+ healthcare organizations for over 30 years to cultivate a more competent and engaged workforce. Founded in 1990, the company is based in Nashville, Tennessee. HealthStream has additional offices in Brentwood, Tennessee; Jericho, New York; Boulder, Colorado; San Diego, California; and Chicago, Illinois.
Since its foundation, HealthStream has received 15 Brandon Hall Excellence in Technology Awards for 2020. These honors demonstrate HealthStream’s ongoing commitment to technological innovation in healthcare workforce development, as well as the ultimate goal of improving healthcare outcomes. The Smithsonian also presented HealthStream with the Computerworld Smithsonian Medallion in recognition of its achievement in its innovative use of technology to empower and advance society.
