Effectiveness of Virtual Reality Simulation for Tracheostomy Education Among Healthcare Professionals

The objective of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of virtual reality (VR) simulation in tracheostomy teaching for healthcare professionals and its impact on short- and medium-term knowledge retention.

A prospective educational study was conducted among 26 healthcare professionals (17 VR; 9 non-VR). Both groups received standard face-to-face tracheostomy teaching, while the VR group additionally completed a 40-minute hybrid simulation using Goggleminds™ software based on the National Tracheostomy Safety Project algorithm. Knowledge was assessed using an eight-item multiple-choice questionnaire immediately after training (Day 0) and after 30 days (Day 30). Data were analysed using independent-samples t-tests and Mann-Whitney U tests to confirm robustness.

Participants in the VR group achieved significantly higher mean scores immediately after training (7.24 ± 0.75) compared with the non-VR group (6.33 ± 0.87; p = 0.01). At 30 days, the VR group demonstrated superior knowledge retention (6.88 ± 0.93) compared with the non-VR group (4.67 ± 1.00; p < 0.001). These findings indicate that VR-based tracheostomy simulation enhances both learning and retention of knowledge compared with conventional teaching.

VR-based tracheostomy simulation significantly improved knowledge acquisition and 30-day retention among healthcare professionals. Integrating VR into tracheostomy education may help to standardise training, improve confidence, and enhance patient safety in emergency airway management.