Paper: Design and implementation of a virtual world training simulation of ICU first hour handover processes

Just had a journal paper accepted with the Australian Critical Care Journal. This is part of our collaboration with Professor Ian Baldwin at Austin Health in Melbourne, Australia, and the Smart Services CRC. This system simulates nurse to nurse ICU shift handover processes, and is being used at Austin Health as a teaching tool for postgraduate nurses. Eprint of journal paper is here.

Abstract

Nursing training for an Intensive Care Unit (ICU) is a resource intensive process. High demands are made on staff, students and physical resources. Interactive, 3D computer simulations, known as virtual worlds, are increasingly being used to supplement training regimes in the health sciences; especially in areas such as complex hospital ward processes. Such worlds have been found to be very useful in maximising the utilisation of training resources. Our aim is to design and develop a novel virtual world application for teaching and training Intensive Care nurses in the approach and method for shift handover, to provide an independent, but rigorous approach to teaching these important skills. In this paper we present a virtual world simulator for students to practice key steps in handing over the 24/7 care requirements of intensive care patients during the commencing first hour of a shift. We describe the modelling process to provide a convincing interactive simulation of the handover steps involved. The virtual world provides a practice tool for students to test their analytical skills with scenarios previously provided by simple physical simulations, and live on the job training. Additional educational benefits include facilitation of remote learning, high flexibility in study hours and the automatic recording of a reviewable log from the session. To the best of our knowledge, we believe this is a novel and original application of virtual worlds to an ICU handover process. The major outcome of the work was a virtual world environment for training nurses in the shift handover process, designed and developed for use by postgraduate nurses in training.

Ross

Video: SSCRC Austin ICU Handover

Video showing the results of our collaboration with the Smart Services CRC and Austin Health. We created an environment for nurses to learn ICU Shift Handover processes. Shift handover processes in an ICU involve a briefing meeting with ward nurses, and then a bedside handover of patient care information to the nurse starting the next shift. The bedside discussion involves a physical check of the patient, and then a check of the congruency of the ICU support machinery with perceived patient status. A plan of care is then developed for the patient for the shift.

This simulation will allow students to remotely practice their handover skills, thus freeing up expensive resources at teaching hospitals, enabling them to be at a higher skill level when they commence live training. An interface is provided for educators to develop multiple scenarios for a complete training course.

Smart Services CRC - www.smartservicescrc.com.au

Austin Health - www.austin.org.au

Ross