Abstract:

Competency training, assessment and demonstration are required components in ensuring continuous quality nursing care in healthcare facilities. Healthcare Simulation has long been the standard for the demonstration of learned skills and algorithm application. Traditionally, this has included high- and low- fidelity manikin learning labs and standardized patient scenario exercises. The expense and time requirements of these methods can be a barrier to usage, so many facilities are beginning to use virtual reality as a training modality for competency training and assessment.

Virtual reality (and other mixed reality modalities) requires the use of a headset and hand interface tools (in most cases controllers). The use of headsets may not be intuitive for some non-digital populations of learners and there may be some resistance to using these. This resistance can be tempered or even avoided by pre-emptive planning. This CE webinar will discuss methods to successfully introduce VR to a non-digital population of nurses in a healthcare facility.

Women make up approximately 80% of all healthcare workers, and the average age of RNs is 46 years old. Both demographics are underrepresented in identified virtual reality user statistics, where only 16% of women had ever tried virtual reality and 50% of surveyed women stated that they had no interest in the technology. Age-wise, only 18% of regular VR users were over 45 and over 70% of these were male. Additionally, studies show that women are more likely to experience (and anticipate!) virtual reality sickness This can present a challenge for nurse educators introducing this technology as a staff competency training and assessment tool.

Pre-emptive assessment and training can mitigate or prevent a reluctance or refusal to use VR. This presentation discusses pre-training staff assessment, training communication techniques, orientation and room preparation, comfort measures and methods to measure competency when in-headset training is not achievable. A lack of preparation and messaging can result in staff refusing to use the headsets and potentially shuttering the platform.

Virtual reality has many benefits for nursing competency training and assessment for healthcare facilities when introduced with thought and careful consideration.

Learning Objectives:

1. Identify characteristics of nursing staff in regards to VR technology and usage.
2. Institute proactive measures to promote successful usage of VR in the nurse population.
3. Develop alternative methods of competency assessment using the VR platform outside of the headset.