Virtual Reality Emergency Tracheostomy Simulation: A Feasibility Study on Intensive Care Healthcare Professional Learning Outcomes

INTRODUCTION: The ability to manage tracheostomy emergencies is vital within the intensive care unit (ICU); however, due to clinical pressures, access to teaching and training is often limited. Simulation training using portable virtual reality (VR) headsets may provide increased access to this training without significant time away from clinical duties. This study aims to evaluate whether the management of a tracheostomy emergency can be effectively delivered through VR simulation within a clinical environment. The study used Trachosim® software produced by Goggleminds®.

METHODS: This study recruited 28 clinical professionals working within the ICU and utilised a single-group post-test observation design. All participants were asked to complete a validated survey, the Immersive Technology Evaluation Measure (ITEM), using an online questionnaire to assess different aspects of the utility of the educational intervention. The study used descriptive statistics to assess overall data and used the Mann-Whitney U test to compare doctors to allied health professionals.

RESULTS: The simulation showed high levels of immersion, strong intrinsic motivation, and a high quality of debrief. The cognitive load was deemed moderate, and the system usability was above the acceptable threshold. There were no statistically significant differences between doctors and allied health professionals.

CONCLUSION: This study showed that Trachosim® has good potential for increasing and improving training around tracheostomy emergencies within the ICU. The results suggest that VR is an appropriate teaching intervention to increase simulation training accessibility within a clinical environment. Further work should be done to compare VR intervention to alternative teaching modalities, as well as long-term outcomes such as knowledge and skill retention and improved patient outcomes.