Virtual Reality Training in Disaster Medicine

Abstract

Statement: Disaster medicine (DM) training aims to recreate stressful, mass casualty scenarios faced by medical professionals in the field with high fidelity. Virtual (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are well suited to disaster training as it can provide a safe, socially distant simulation with a high degree of realism. The purpose of this literature review was to summarize the current use of VR or AR for simulation training of healthcare providers in DM education. A systematic review of peer-reviewed articles was performed from January 1, 2000, to November 21, 2020, on PubMed, Embase, and OVID. Exclusion criteria included non-English articles, computer-generated models without human participants, or articles not relating to DM, VR or AR. Thirty-two articles were included. Triage accuracy was evaluated in 17 studies. Participants reported improved confidence and positive satisfaction after the simulations. The studies suggest VR or AR can be considered for disaster training in addition to other, more traditional simulation methods. More research is needed to create a standardized educational model to incorporate VR and AR into DM training and to understand the relationship between disaster simulation and improved patient care.

The Use of Metaverse in Nursing Education

“…This umbrella review examined the literature to elucidate the use of metaverse in nursing education. In accordance with similar reviews,11,42,43 findings demonstrated that the metaverse engages students to learn multifaceted content. Metaverse research received attention during the COVID-19 pandemic42–44; yet, 7 of the included reviews were conducted before the pandemic.…”

“…In accordance with similar reviews,11,42,43 findings demonstrated that the metaverse engages students to learn multifaceted content. Metaverse research received attention during the COVID-19 pandemic42–44; yet, 7 of the included reviews were conducted before the pandemic. Although most reviews recognized metaverse as a promising pedagogical tool, several reviews31,34,35,39 reported mixed results in certain outcomes between metaverse education and traditional approaches, a not uncommon finding as similar studies comparing metaverse interventions with traditional methods reported mixed effectiveness 9,45–47…”

“…This review questions the transferability of VR to clinical practice, which is consistent with the literature11 and possibly due to the immaturity of VR technology and overall lack of evidence 39. This umbrella review also found geographical disparities involving metaverse technologies, as did Tlili et al43 Similar to Brown and colleagues,42 this review evaluated most intervention outcomes as levels 1 and 2 with the Kirkpatrick model, whereas level 3 outcomes were rare. None of the included reviews were scored as a level 4 outcome27; thus, it was difficult to determine whether the learning outcomes were attributable to the training or institutional performance over time.…”

Training critical care teams for disaster response: Mass casualty incident simulation

“…2 On an individual level, simulation can be utilised to assess technical and non-technical skills, improve knowledge and performance, and elucidate human factors at play during an emergency. 3,21 Collaboration between agencies is a critical component of disaster response, and simulation incorporating agencies external to the ED will improve knowledge and understanding of disaster response for trainees. 23 However, disasters never follow a logical, predetermined path, and although simulation will support skill development, nothing can prepare for a disaster than a disaster.…”

“…Simulation is known to improve interpersonal communication, and to increase clinician confidence to respond to situations within a multi‐disciplinary environment 2 . On an individual level, simulation can be utilised to assess technical and non‐technical skills, improve knowledge and performance, and elucidate human factors at play during an emergency 3,21 . Collaboration between agencies is a critical component of disaster response, and simulation incorporating agencies external to the ED will improve knowledge and understanding of disaster response for trainees 23 .…”