Using Virtual Simulations to Assess Situational Awareness and Communication in Medical and Nursing Education: A Technical Feasibility Study
Steven J. Anbro, Alison J. Szarko, Ramona A. Houmanfar, Amber M. Maraccini, Laura Crosswell, J. S. Harris, Michelle Rebaleati, Luka Starmer
Abstract
Communication and situational awareness, among other “human factors,” are critical skills needed within high-reliability organizations (HROs). HROs are challenged to develop an effective methodology for the systematic assessment of these skills. Virtual reality (VR) simulation technology offers a promising approach to meet this challenge. By utilizing a verbal coding procedure in tandem with eye-tracking metrics, we conducted a technical feasibility study to assess the impact of an interprofessional training (TeamSTEPPS®) on communication accuracy and observing responses among medical and nursing students in a virtual simulation. The results suggest that communication accuracy significantly improved as a result of TeamSTEPPS® training. These findings and changes in situational awareness among individuals are discussed.