Virtual Reality Simulation-based Interprofessional Education

A virtual reality simulation-based interprofessional education to develop a “collaborative practice-ready” health workforce.

A virtual reality simulation known as Create Real-time Experience And Teamwork In Virtual Environment (CREATIVE) was developed to support interprofessional education. Please click to watch a video clip on CREATIVE.

The virtual reality simulation was developed based on a social constructivist approach in which simulation features were incorporated to support learning activities including contextual, collaborative, and experiential learning. A three-dimensional (3D) computer graphic was used to build a real-world hospital virtual environment to offer an immersive and realistic environment for users to engage in contextual learning. Avatars of different healthcare professionals and facilitators were also built to enable the users to immerse in the 3D environment as first person view and to provide experiential learning for students to engage in active role-playing by interacting with objects and events in the virtual environment.

A series of studies was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality for simulation-based IPE on multidisciplinary bedside rounds and nurse-physician communication training. ^1-10 In 2020, the evidence-based nurse-physician communication programme was translated into the NUS Medicine and Nursing curricula and evaluated the outcomes through an implementation science research. ¹⁰

1. Liaw SY, Carpio GAC, Lau Y, Tan SC, Lim WS, Goh PS. Multiuser virtual worlds in healthcare education: A systematic review. Nurse Educ Today. 2018;65:136-149. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2018.01.006

2. Liaw SY, Soh SL, Tan KK, Wu LT, Yap J, Chow YL, Lau TC, Lim WS, Tan SC, Choo H, Wong LL, Lim SM, Ignacio J, Wong LF. Design and evaluation of a 3D virtual environment for collaborative learning in interprofessional team care delivery. Nurse Educ Today. 2019;81:64-71. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2019.06.012

3. Liaw SY, Tan KK, Wu LT, Tan SC, Choo H, Yap J, Lim SM, Wong LL, Ignacio J. Finding the Right Blend of Technologically Enhanced Learning Environments: Randomized Controlled Study of the Effect of Instructional Sequences on Interprofessional Learning. J Med Internet Res. 2019;21(5):e12537. Published 2019 May 28. doi:10.2196/12537

4. Liaw SY, Ooi SW, Rusli KDB, Lau TC, Tam WWS, Chua WL. Nurse-Physician Communication Team Training in Virtual Reality Versus Live Simulations: Randomized Controlled Trial on Team Communication and Teamwork Attitudes. J Med Internet Res. 2020;22(4):e17279. Published 2020 Apr 8. doi:10.2196/17279

5. Liaw SY, Sutini, Chua WL, Tan JZ, Tracy LJ, Ashokka B, Pan TLT, Lau ST, Ignacio J. Desktop Virtual Reality Versus Face-to-Face Simulation for Team-Training on Stress Levels and Performance in Clinical Deterioration: a Randomised Controlled Trial. J Gen Intern Med. 2023;38(1):67-73. doi:10.1007/s11606-022-07557-7

6. Chua WL, Ooi SL, Chan GWH, Lau TC, Liaw SY. The Effect of a Sepsis Interprofessional Education Using Virtual Patient Telesimulation on Sepsis Team Care in Clinical Practice: Mixed Methods Study. J Med Internet Res. 2022;24(4):e35058. Published 2022 Apr 18. doi:10.2196/35058

7. Liaw SY, Wu LT, Wong LF, Soh SLH, Chow YL, Ringsted C, Lau TC, Lim WS. "Getting Everyone on the Same Page": Interprofessional Team Training to Develop Shared Mental Models on Interprofessional Rounds [published correction appears in J Gen Intern Med. 2020 Mar;35(3):982]. J Gen Intern Med. 2019;34(12):2912-2917. doi:10.1007/s11606-019-05320-z

8. Liaw SY, Wu, LT, Soh SLH, Ringsted, C, Lau TC, Lim WS. Virtual reality simulation in interprofessional round training for health care students: A qualitative evaluation study. Clin Simul Nurs. 2024;45, 42-46. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecns.2020.03.013

9. Liaw SY, Choo T, Wu LT, Lim WS, Choo H, Lim SM, Ringsted C, Wong LF, Ooi SL, Lau TC. Wow, woo, win"- Healthcare students' and facilitators' experiences of interprofessional simulation in three-dimensional virtual world: A qualitative evaluation study. Nurse Educ Today. 2021;105:105018. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105018

10. Liaw SY, Ooi SL, Mildon R, Ang ENK, Lau TC, Chua WL. Translation of an evidence-based virtual reality simulation-based interprofessional education into health education curriculums: An implementation science method. Nurse Educ Today. 2022;110:105262. doi:10.1016/j.nedt.2021.105262