Development of Virtual Reality Educational Content on Magnetic Resonance Imaging: A Pilot Study.

Area of Science:

• Medical Education
• Virtual Reality Technology
• Patient Education

Background:

• Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) procedures can cause patient anxiety and discomfort.
• Traditional patient education methods may not fully prepare individuals for the sensory experience of MRI.
• There is a need for innovative educational tools to improve patient understanding and reduce anxiety during MRI.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop and evaluate the usability of virtual reality (VR) educational content for patients undergoing MRI.
• To assess the effectiveness of VR in preparing patients for the pre-MRI, intra-MRI, and post-MRI phases.
• To determine the potential of VR as a practical training tool in clinical settings.

Main Methods:

• The ADDIE model was employed to develop VR educational content, including needs assessment with 20 experts and patients.
• Content covered pre-MRI nursing, the MRI process (environment, vision, noise), and post-MRI nursing.
• Usability was evaluated by 12 experts and patients using surveys and interviews.

Main Results:

• The VR educational content achieved a high usability score of 96.5 out of 100.
• Both experts and patients reported similar high usability ratings.
• Qualitative feedback indicated VR is a useful educational approach, leading to content improvements.

Conclusions:

• VR educational content is a highly usable and effective tool for preparing patients for MRI procedures.
• This innovative intervention can significantly benefit healthcare professionals and patients by addressing MRI-related challenges.
• VR technology presents a practical and valuable training method for clinical applications in healthcare.