Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 6, 2026
Setting Up a Stroke Team Algorithm and Conducting Simulation-based Training in the Emergency Department - A Practical Guide
Published on: January 15, 2017
Exploring the Effect of Head-Worn Displays on Prehospital Teamwork Using Online Simulation: A Crossover Randomized
Thomas J Davidson1, Harald Waxenegger, Ismail Mohamed
1From the School of Psychology (T.J.D., H.W., I.M., P.M.S.), The University of Queensland, Brisbane, Australia; School of Medicine and Dentistry (D.S.M.), Griffith University, Queensland, Australia; and School of Medicine (D.S.M.), Charles Darwin University, Northern Territory, Australia.
Head-worn displays (HWDs) in prehospital simulations reduced attention switching between patients, potentially improving teamwork efficiency. While HWDs decreased communication needs, overall team performance and patient care timeliness did not significantly differ across device conditions.
Area of Science:
- Emergency medicine
- Human-computer interaction
- Teamwork and collaboration
Background:
- Prehospital care involves dynamic environments and technology use.
- Head-worn displays (HWDs) are increasingly considered for supporting prehospital teams.
- The impact of HWDs on paramedic teamwork remains largely unexplored.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the effect of HWDs on team processes and patient care in paramedic trainees.
- To compare teamwork and performance using HWDs versus tablet computers (TAB) or no device (CON).
Main Methods:
- A laboratory study using a prehospital simulation environment (SPECTRa).
- Twenty two-person paramedic trainee teams participated in a randomized crossover design.
- Teams assessed and treated simulated patients using HWDs, TABs, or CON.
Main Results:
- HWDs significantly reduced attention switching between patients compared to TABs or CON.
- Communication frequency decreased with HWDs compared to TABs.
- No significant differences were found in the timeliness of noticing critical patient changes or scenario completion times.
Conclusions:
- HWDs may enhance efficiency in monitoring team performance and reduce communication load in prehospital settings.
- Observed improvements in mutual understanding with HWDs were more preference-based than behavioral.
- Further research is recommended to validate and expand upon these findings.
