Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 12, 2025
The Immersive Cleveland Clinic Virtual Reality Shopping Platform for the Assessment of Instrumental Activities of Daily Living
Published on: July 28, 2022
Getting real clean: a virtual reality training pilot study for cleaning and low-level disinfection of portable
Esteban A Barreto1,2, Michelle S Jerry3,4, Vianelly García3,4
1Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.
Abstract:
Portable medical equipment (PME) is inconsistently cleaned and disinfected, resulting in contamination that increases the risk of healthcare-associated infections. A virtual reality PME cleaning and disinfection training module was designed and tested at multiple healthcare facilities. Barriers identified during an initial phase led to improvements in the second phase.
Insights
Inconsistent cleaning of portable medical equipment (PME) risks infections. A virtual reality (VR) training module improved PME disinfection practices, with iterative improvements addressing identified barriers in healthcare settings.
Area of Science:
- Healthcare infection control
- Medical device hygiene
- Virtual reality in medical training
Background:
- Portable medical equipment (PME) requires consistent cleaning and disinfection to prevent contamination.
- Inadequate PME hygiene practices are a significant contributor to healthcare-associated infections (HAIs).
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and evaluate a virtual reality (VR) training module for PME cleaning and disinfection.
- To identify and address barriers to effective PME hygiene training in clinical settings.
Main Methods:
- Development of a VR-based training module focused on PME cleaning and disinfection protocols.
- Iterative testing and refinement of the VR module across multiple healthcare facilities.
- Assessment of barriers encountered during the initial training phase.
Main Results:
- The VR training module was successfully designed and implemented in diverse healthcare environments.
- Identification of specific barriers hindering the effective adoption of PME cleaning protocols.
- Phase two incorporated improvements based on initial barrier identification, enhancing the training's efficacy.
Conclusions:
- Virtual reality offers a promising platform for PME cleaning and disinfection training.
- Addressing identified barriers is crucial for optimizing VR training module effectiveness in healthcare.
- Improved PME hygiene through targeted VR training can contribute to reducing healthcare-associated infections.
