501 - Assessing the Feasibility of Virtual Reality for Neonatal Resuscitation Training at an International Site

Poster Number: 501
Publication Number: 501.3326

Background: Recent advancements in virtual reality (VR) offer immersive, realistic medical training experiences. At the University of Wisconsin-Madison, we initially created a VR-based neonatal resuscitation training program and received positive feedback from neonatal providers.

Objective: This study aims to evaluate the program's feasibility and impact at Ho Chi Minh City Children's Hospital's Neonatal ICU in Vietnam.

Design/Methods: We utilized the UW-Madison VR-based neonatal resuscitation training program to coordinate remote training sessions in Vietnam with the primary instructor based in the United States. An onsite moderator provided language and technical support. After participants received a knowledge review and platform tutorial, they completed a VR simulation of a 30-week infant experiencing respiratory distress according to the Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) 8th edition. We administered a modified, professionally translated survey post-training to assess the primary outcome of overall participant satisfaction. Secondary outcomes included access to formal neonatal resuscitation training, VR familiarity, adverse VR effects, and implementation challenges.

Results: In April 2023, we engaged 28 Vietnamese healthcare providers in 4 group training sessions over two weeks. Of the participants, only 6/27 (22.2%) had NRP certification, 13 (46.4%) had undergone any form of resuscitation training, and 9 participants (32.1%) had prior VR experience (Table 1). However, all participants expressed a willingness to continue using and recommending VR training. Most participants (24; 85.7%) found the VR experience more realistic than traditional methods, surpassing the 70.3% satisfaction rate from our UW-Madison cohort (n=38 providers). Participants rated the platform's usefulness at an average of 4.29 out of 5, slightly lower than the UW-Madison cohort's 4.5 rating (Figure 1). Fewer participants (8/28, 28.6%) reported discomfort from VR use compared to the UW-Madison cohort (15/38, 40.5%). The primary challenges encountered included language barriers, unfamiliarity with NRP, and unstable internet connections.

Conclusion(s): Our findings demonstrate the effective remote implementation of a VR-based neonatal resuscitation training model at an international site. Despite limitations like the absence of haptic feedback, the program proves especially valuable in settings with limited specialized training access. However, language barriers and unstable internet connections pose challenges that can affect the program's overall success.