Immersive Mixed Reality Simulation to Evoke Empathy

Stanford University

Status: Completed

Conditions: Educational Problems

Treatments: Behavioral: Control; Behavioral: Mixed Reality (MR)

Study type: Interventional

Funder types: Other

Identifiers

NCT06351397

75021

Details and patient eligibility

About

This is a quantifiable study evaluating the ability of a mixed reality (MR), immersive simulation experience to evoke empathy in anesthesiology trainees. Quantitative methodologies will be employed using standardized questionnaires including the The Jefferson Scale of Physician Empathy for Health Professions Students, (HP-version). Trainees will assess their preliminary, baseline empathy using the Jefferson Scale and after the simulation and debrief, will reassess empathy scores, once again using the Jefferson Scale. A satisfaction survey to assess simulated patient embodiment as a valuable exercise and contributor to empathy education curriculum.

Enrollment: 81 patients

Sex: All

Ages: 18 to 99 years old

Volunteers: Accepts Healthy Volunteers

Inclusion criteria

• Trainees or personnel working and/or volunteering at Lucile Packard Children's Hospital Stanford / Stanford Health Care facilities
• 18 years and older

Exclusion criteria

• a history of severe motion sickness
• currently have nausea
• have a history of seizures
• are uncomfortable wearing a ~7 pound weighted vest.

Trial design

Primary purpose: Supportive Care

Allocation: Randomized

Interventional model: Parallel Assignment

Masking: None (Open label)

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81 participants in 2 patient groups

Mixed Reality Group

Experimental group

Description:

In the MR group, the simulation instructor will explain the scope of the simulation embodiment experience and equip a weighted vest on the participant as they are asked to lay on a hospital patient gurney, seated upright. The participant, who is wearing a weighted vest to simulate an anterior mediastinal mass, will be asked to be seated upright and will view various holograms including vitals monitors, hear hospital related sounds via the headset, and also see additional holographic assets including intravenous polls and a defibrillator as well as experience heat (simulating a fever) from heat lamps. The simulation instructor will play the role of a physician who is using good communication skills based on the Calgary-Cambridge Guide to review a scripted consent for a high risk biopsy under sedation that may require life saving interventions such as extracorporeal membranous oxygenation (ECMO).

Treatment:

Behavioral: Mixed Reality (MR)

Control

Active Comparator group

Description:

In the control group, there will be no headset, no heat lamps, and no weighted vest and the participant will rely on their imagination to embody the teenager while lying in the simulation room bed while being consented for the same procedure as the MR group.

Treatment:

Behavioral: Control