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Development and Evaluation of a Virtual Reality Module for Emergency Front-of-Neck Access Training
Caoimhe C Duffy1, Hyun Kim, Dani Weber
1Department of Anesthesiology and Critical Care (C.C.D., J.H.A.); Perelman School of Medicine (H.K.); Department of Surgery (D.W., D.B., N.W., K.D.); Division of Traumatology, Surgical Critical Care and Emergency Surgery, Perelman School of Medicine (G.A.B.); and Penn Center for Immersive Simulation (C.C.D., H.K., D.W., D.B., J.H.A., N.W., K.D.), University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia, PA.
Virtual reality (VR) training for emergency front-of-neck access is highly relevant and useful for clinicians. This immersive VR module shows promise for practicing critical airway procedures, enhancing preparedness in "can't intubate, can't oxygenate" events.
Area of Science:
- Medical Education
- Surgical Simulation
- Virtual Reality Technology
Background:
- Emergency front-of-neck access is a rare but critical procedure during "can't intubate, can't oxygenate" events.
- Limited training opportunities hinder clinician confidence and proficiency in this high-acuity skill.
- Virtual reality (VR) offers a standardized, accessible method for practicing emergency airway procedures without traditional resource constraints.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate an immersive VR module for emergency front-of-neck access training.
- To gather validity evidence concerning content, presentation, and learner experience.
- To assess the usability, realism, and clinical relevance of the VR simulation.
Main Methods:
- A prospective study involving 61 participants (21 experts, 40 interns) at an academic medical center.
- Participants completed a VR module and a structured survey on usability, realism, and effectiveness.
- Content validity was assessed by experts, and automated metrics tracked completion time and accuracy.
Main Results:
- Participants found the VR module highly useful and relevant, with novices reporting greater ease of use.
- Experts reported increased preparedness for critical airway scenarios post-module completion.
- Content validity was strong (scale-level index 0.844), particularly for procedural sequence and anatomical fidelity, though decision-making cues had lower agreement. Limitations included lack of haptic feedback.
Conclusions:
- The immersive VR module demonstrated favorable validity evidence for face, content, and usability.
- VR simulation may serve as a valuable supplementary tool for rehearsing rare but critical airway interventions.
- Further research is needed to establish the impact of VR training on actual procedural performance and patient outcomes.
