Virtual Reality: a Teaching-learning Strategy for Cognitive Mastery in Airway Trauma Management

Not Applicable

Active, not recruiting

• Conditions: Airway Management; Trauma Centers; Education, Medical; Students, Medical; Virtual Reality; Manikins
• Interventions: Other: VR-based simulation; Other: Mannequin-based simulation

• Registration Number: NCT04451590
• Lead Sponsor: Sunnybrook Health Sciences Centre

Brief Summary

Airway injury in patients is a high risk and complex medical crisis. Unfortunately, training for airway management in injured patients is challenging. The most effective way of practicing airway management is using mannequins. However, mannequin training is expensive and only occasionally available to medical trainees.

The purpose of this study is to determine if Virtual Reality (VR) can be used to educate medical students on airway injury management. VR training will involve managing the care of a patient with an airway injury in an immersive, interactive VR hospital trauma bay. The investigators will compare the knowledge gained from VR training vs. mannequin training. The investigators will also investigate whether VR training teaches students faster than mannequin training. In addition, the investigators will identify factors which might affect learning from VR.

Medical students who choose to participate will be randomized (i.e. participant will have a 50% chance to be placed in either group) to be trained with VR or a mannequin. Participants then will be trained on airway injury management using their assigned training approach. One week later, all participants will be assessed on their airway injury management skills using a mannequin. Before and after their sessions, participants will also be asked to complete a questionnaire on their clinical decision-making. Participants who received VR training will also complete a questionnaire about their experience with the VR training.

This study will help develop a new approach to airway management training which is cheaper and more easily available to medical trainees than mannequin training. This educational tool could lead to better treatment of airway trauma in future patients.

Detailed Description

Not available

Study Timeline

• Study First Submitted: 2019-11-12
• Study First Submitted QC: 2020-06-25
• Study First Posted: 2020-06-30
• Study Start: 2021-08-01
• Status Verified: 2024-11
• Primary Completion: 2024-12
• Study Completion: 2024-12
• Last Update Submitted: 2024-12-19
• Last Update Posted: 2024-12-24

Recruitment & Eligibility

• Status: ACTIVE_NOT_RECRUITING
• Sex: All
• Target Recruitment: 40

Inclusion Criteria

• Age ≥18 at time of consent
• Medical student at U of T in 1st, 2nd or 3rd year
• Able to attend two sessions a week apart

Exclusion Criteria

• Lack of participant consent or capacity to give consent
• History of significant motion sickness (during exposure to physical, visual and virtual motion, cybersickness verbally declared by patient)
• Visual/hearing impairments that affect abilities to listen/watch videos/VR video

Study & Design

• Study Type: INTERVENTIONAL
• Study Design: PARALLEL

Arm && Interventions

Group	Intervention	Description
VR-based Simulation (Intervention)	VR-based simulation	Students will receive training on traumatic airway management using VR-based simulation.
Mannequin-based Simulation (Control)	Mannequin-based simulation	Students will receive training on traumatic airway management using mannequin-based simulation.

Primary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Change in Traumatic Airway Injury Management Knowledge	up to 24 hours before and up to 24 hours after practice sessions	Knowledge acquisition of traumatic airway injury management as assessed by the written Key Features Decision Making Checklist, Change from baseline (pre-training) knowledge to after practice session knowledge (post-training).
Application of Traumatic Airway Injury Management Knowledge	7 days after practice session	Application of decision making concepts surrounding traumatic airway injury management as assessed by the Airway Injury Checklist of Core Decision Making Steps completed during participant performance of a simulated crisis assessment scenario.

Secondary Outcome Measures

Name	Time	Method
Number of Required Practice Sessions	During the 1 day practice session	Identify whether VR or mannequin-based simulation practice require fewer practice sessions to achieve learning objectives.

Trial Locations

Locations (1)

Sunnybrook Health Sciences; 🇨🇦 Toronto, Ontario, Canada