NCT04330924

A Comparison Between Physical and Virtual Simulation: A Randomized Controlled Trial

Nurse-Physician Communication Team Training in Virtual Reality Versus Live Simulations: Randomized Controlled Study

• Status: Completed
• Phase: N/A
• Study type: Interventional
• Enrollment: 120 (actual)
• Sponsor: National University of Singapore · Academic / Other
• Sex: All
• Age: 18 Years
• Healthy volunteers: Accepted

Summary

Nurse-physician communication skills can be improve through inter-professional team training. Simulation is often used to conduct these training. However, constraints to conduct these sessions such as scheduling and logistic arrangements have been widely reported. Thus with the advancement of technology in education, the use of virtual environment to conduct the team training is being explored and evaluated.

Detailed description

All recruited participants underwent a 3-hour nurse-physician communication training prior to the simulation session. Team Strategies and Tools to Enhance Performance and Patient Safety (TeamSTEPPS) curriculum and pre-learning videos were introduced to the participants. Pre-test questionnaires were administered after the training. Participants were then randomized to the control (live simulation) or intervention group (virtual simulation). Intervention group participants will undergo a virtual simulation session training via the multi-user virtual world by logging in into the 3D virtual environment while participants in the control group performed the simulations in a physical simulated ward setting. Each pair of 1 medical student and 1 nursing student participate in two role-playing simulation scenarios (15-20 minutes each) along with a facilitator who will provide a debrief (30-minutes). Prior to the simulation, participants were given a smart-watch to monitor their physiological parameters such as heart rate. Post-test questionnaires were administered after the simulation sessions. After the simulation training, a 30-minutes team-based assessments were conducted based on a inter-professional bedside care scenario in pairs of one medical and one nursing student within their randomized group. The assessments were video recorded for evaluation by assessors who are blinded to the groupings. All participants were then invited to complete a follow-up questionnaire 2 months after the simulation training.

Conditions

• Interdisciplinary Communication

Interventions

Type	Name	Description
OTHER	Create Real-life Experience And Teamwork In Virtual Environment (CREATIVE)	3D virtual hospital environment where participants can perform physical and social interaction and presence using avatars.

Timeline

• Start date: 2018-07-01
• Primary completion: 2019-12-31
• Completion: 2019-12-31
• First posted: 2020-04-02
• Last updated: 2020-04-03

Locations

1 site across 1 country: Singapore