Toward interprofessional team training for surgeons and anesthesiologists using virtual reality.

Area of Science:

• Medical Simulation
• Surgical Education
• Virtual Reality Applications

Background:

• Effective interprofessional communication is critical during laparoscopic surgery.
• Current training methods may not adequately prepare surgical teams for complex intraoperative communication challenges.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate a virtual reality (VR) environment for interprofessional team training.
• To improve intraoperative communication skills between anesthesiologists and surgeons during laparoscopic procedures.

Main Methods:

• Integration of anesthesia and laparoscopic simulation software into a multi-user VR environment.
• Development and evaluation of two communication training scenarios for anesthesiologist-surgeon teams.
• Assessment of user experience, social presence, and collection of expert clinical feedback via think-aloud protocols and interviews.

Main Results:

• The VR prototype is considered a viable foundation for surgical team training and further clinical evaluation.
• Physicians reported high levels of exhilaration and social presence within the VR environment.
• Expert feedback confirmed the feasibility and utility of VR for team training, while also identifying limitations.

Conclusions:

• The proposed VR prototype offers a novel platform for interprofessional surgical team training.
• This system facilitates the practice of problem-based communication in surgical settings.
• VR-based training holds potential for advancing operating room education and improving patient safety.