No abstract

Introduction. Effective clinical decisionmaking (CDM) skills are essential for physical therapist practice. e purpose of this study was to compare the effects of virtual reality (VR) patient simulation with those of a traditional standardized patient simulation on the CDM of student physical therapists (SPTs). Review of Literature. Authentic experiential learning opportunities are needed to promote CDM. e effects of VR simulation on the CDM of SPTs are unknown. Subjects. Fifty-nine first-year SPTs participated in this study.Methods. A randomized controlled trial compared the effects of VR with those of standardized patient simulation on several aspects of CDM in 59 first-year students after an upper extremity orthopedic unit. Perceived CDM abilities and metacognitive awareness were assessed before and after allocated instruction. Diagnostic accuracy and diagnostic efficiency were measured during instruction. Student engagement was assessed immediately after instruction and psychomotor skill was assessed 1 week later. Results. Statistically significant withingroup differences in CDM were noted after both VR and standardized patient instruction, but no between-group differences were found. Although effect sizes were considered large with either learning experience, the observed experimental effect was greater after a VR experience. No between-group differences were found between metacognitive awareness, diagnostic accuracy, or psychomotor skill assessment. Diagnostic efficiency was statistically significantly greater in the standardized patient condition, while engagement was significantly greater in the VR condition. Discussion and Conclusion. Measures of perceived CDM improved regardless of instructional method; however, the effect size was greater after VR. ese findings reveal 2 effective experiential learning options to promote CDM. ese results exemplify the normative trajectory of CDM development and recommendations for differentiated curricular instruction. Although resource intensive initially, VR technology appears capable of advancing CDM skills in an efficient manner that may minimize future cost and the faculty facilitation associated with standardized patient instruction.

No abstract

s (USD) nursing program is an associate degree (ADN) level program. In recent years, learning objectives for the students in the ADN level at USD have been updated to include the National League for Nursing's position statement, which includes recommendations to design new methods to meet students' learning needs. This article discusses the evolution of service-learning projects between USD's nursing program and the community. It will discuss four specific projects in terms of (a) matching the academic needs of the students with community needs, (b) commitment by academia to the community, (c) the impact of service learning on faculty productivity, and (d) the quality of student learning. Finally, some of the challenges of participating in service-learning activities are outlined.

Background Physical therapy education benefits from innovative and authentic learning opportunities. However, factors that influence the acceptance of educational technology must be assessed prior to curricular adoption. The purpose of this study was to assess the perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of a virtual reality (VR) learning experience developed to promote the clinical decision-making of student physical therapists. Methods A VR learning experience was developed, and an established two-stage usability test assessed player experience as well as the user’s perception of both ease of use and usefulness. Two experts evaluated the VR learning experience and provided feedback. Six student physical therapists and five faculty members completed the VR experience, responded to two questionnaires, and participated in a semi-structured interview to further assess ease of use and utility. Results High levels of perceived ease of use, perceived usefulness, and positive player experiences were reported by both faculty and student users. Faculty users perceived a significantly greater amount of educational and clinical utility from the VR simulation than did student users. Semi-structured interviews revealed themes related to ease of use, benefits, modeling of professional behaviors, and realism. Conclusion Quantitative data supported faculty and student users’ perceptions of ease of use, utility towards learning, practical application, and several constructs related to user experience. Qualitative data provided recommendations to modify design features of the VR experience. This study provides a template to design, produce, and assess the usability of an immersive VR learning experience that may be replicated by other health professions educators where current evidence is limited.