Virtual reality-based training for mental health staff: a novel approach to increase empathy, compassion, and subjective understanding of service user experience

Abstract

Background Mental health service users report that staff empathy is key to developing positive therapeutic relationships but promoting empathy in staff training is challenging. Staff may struggle to maintain their compassion, particularly in challenging settings, and have limited clinical confidence when treating conditions of which they lack subjective understanding. Novel interventions are required to address these needs. Main body of the text Virtual reality-based simulation training has been shown to be an effective training modality for healthcare professionals; it has the potential to deliver crucial empathy-building learning for frontline mental health staff due to its capacity to increase staff understanding of service users’ experiences. Virtual reality and simulation technology take interactivity and experiential learning to a level beyond which we have seen in teaching and training before. Subjective understanding is elicited because this is a technology for enhanced experiential learning, which in turn fosters greater empathy and compassion. Increased empathy in the workforce is likely to yield significant benefits for service users. Greater empathy in nursing is linked with reduced restrictive practices and reduced conflict between staff and service users. Restrictive practices, including restraint and seclusion, are widely used in mental health settings within the UK, and are an aspect of mental health nursing that is at odds with the therapeutic role of nursing. Despite these innovative developments, there are challenges ahead. Many nurses feel that complete eradication of restrictive practices is impossible and that barriers include a limitation of resources, communication, management, and lack of education. There is a need to make simulation training economically viable so that it can be upscaled and widely available. Therefore, greater investment and resources are needed to bring this innovative training to the wider workforce to support staff and to realise the benefits for service users. Short conclusion Virtual reality-based training has great potential for mental health staff, which could have important consequences in terms of improved staff empathy and reductions in harmful restrictive practices. Further research and funding for such training is necessary so that it can be more widely available.

Artificial intelligence technologies and compassion in healthcare: A systematic scoping review

“…It could be that other types of technologies, less standardized (more complex and diverse) virtual patients ( Shorey et al, 2019 ), or digital anatomy could inform professional training and enhance student learning or empathy more effectively ( Osis, 2021 ), but this is unknown. Learning technologies that have “point-of-view” functions may enable students to see issues from different perspectives ( Levett-Jones et al, 2017 ) and diverse service users’ experiences ( Riches et al, 2022 ) which could benefit caring relationships.…”

Nurses' perceptions of nurse–patient communication in seclusion rooms in psychiatric inpatient care: A focus group study

“…Upon closer examination, it was found that none of the articles described nurses' perceptions related to communication during seclusion events. The focus of the articles varied, including the concept of respect in mental health care (Cutcliffe & Travale, 2013), nurses' feelings related to restrictive practices (Riches et al, 2022), patient perspectives on the seclusion process (Ling et al, 2015; Faschingbauer et al, 2013; Hammervold et al, 2022), an educational program to reduce seclusion (Boumans et al, 2015), nurses' communication skills in de‐escalation situations (Ye et al, 2020; Jury et al, 2019) and unit design that improves safety and staff‐patient encounters (Holmes et al, 2020).…”

Psychiatric Ward Staff Experience of Working with Patients Who Hear Voices and Their Views on Voice Simulation Training: a Qualitative Study

“…Participants reported that this would improve their confidence in approaching and engaging in conversations with patients about voice hearing, which is likely to lead to greater empathy (Orr et al 2013;Riches et al 2019a). Increases in subjective understanding and empathy may improve quality of care, encourage more effective therapeutic relationships, and may be particularly beneficial when working in acute inpatient settings with limited resources (Riches et al 2019a(Riches et al , 2022.…”

“…Simulation training provides first-hand experiential learning within a safe environment (Riches et al 2022). It is important that the simulation is authentic and believable to promote greater subjective understanding.…”

“…This replication enables participants to experience voice hearing first-hand through realistic and immersive simulations. This method of training enables learners to gain subjective understanding, which has the potential to improve clinical confidence and compassion for voice hearers (Riches et al 2022). In studies, these simulations have been shown to increase empathy, improve therapeutic relationships, and reduce mental health stigma (Ando et al 2011;Orr et al 2013;Riches et al 2018;Riches et al 2019aRiches et al , 2019bSkoy et al 2016;Bradshaw et al 2021) and have been deemed an acceptable and valuable method of learning (Riches et al 2019a;Bortolon et al 2021;Bradshaw et al 2021).…”