Innovations in communication training for medical and nursing students: Virtual reality communication tool for application and evaluation with key stakeholders and students (VR-TALKS) – a study protocol

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F00064203%3A_____%2F25%3A10501319" target="_blank" >RIV/00064203:_____/25:10501319 - isvavai.cz</a>

Alternative codes found

RIV/00216224:14110/25:00143822 RIV/00216208:11110/25:10501319 RIV/00216208:11130/25:10501319

Result on the web

<a href="https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=r8uzEPciSi" target="_blank" >https://verso.is.cuni.cz/pub/verso.fpl?fname=obd_publikace_handle&handle=r8uzEPciSi</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.pecinn.2025.100426" target="_blank" >10.1016/j.pecinn.2025.100426</a>

Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Innovations in communication training for medical and nursing students: Virtual reality communication tool for application and evaluation with key stakeholders and students (VR-TALKS) – a study protocol

Original language description

Background: In healthcare education, virtual reality (VR), simulating real-world situations, is emerging as a tool to improve communication skills, particularly in sensitive scenarios involving patients and caregivers. While promising, VR-based education also poses challenges such as avatar realism, cognitive load, and the need for pedagogical grounding. Objective: This protocol paper presents the VR-TALKS project, which aims to develop, apply, and evaluate VR scenarios designed to teach healthcare students communication skills in serious illness scenarios. Barriers and facilitators to integrating VR into healthcare teaching modules, along with the usability, feasibility, and educational impact of the VR tool, will be assessed across five European countries, incorporating insights from both students and educators. Methods: Phase 1 involves screening current communication courses at six partner institutions to identify opportunities for integrating VR. Phase 2 assesses the barriers and facilitators faced by approximately n = 70 educators in incorporating VR into communication training. Phase 3 focuses on developing VR scenarios based on the SPIKES and NURSE techniques. Phase 4 evaluates the usability and feasibility of the scenarios with n = 200 students and n = 30 educators. Feedback from this phase will inform further improvement of the tool. Expected results: The project will provide valuable insights into the barriers and facilitators of VR integration, develop two VR scenarios in multiple languages, and collect data on feasibility, usability, and user satisfaction. Additionally, it will offer recommendations for effectively incorporating VR into university curricula. Potential limitations of immersive VR, such as motion sickness, will be considered during evaluation. Conclusions: The project aims to enhance teaching methods for serious illness communication across Europe. The knowledge gained will be disseminated publicly through peer-reviewed publications and the project website, with plans to offer the VR training to other universities. Innovation: By addressing the limitations of conventional training, VR-TALKS offers healthcare professionals the opportunity to develop crucial communication skills in a repeatable, standardized, and time-flexible environment. Funding: ERASMUS+ Program through the Centre for International Cooperation in Education in the Czech Republic, &quot;Dům zahraniční spolupráce&quot; (DZS), spanning from 01.09.2023 to 31.08.2025.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

J_imp - Article in a specialist periodical, which is included in the Web of Science database

CEP classification

—

OECD FORD branch

30304 - Public and environmental health

Project

—

Continuities

I - Institucionalni podpora na dlouhodoby koncepcni rozvoj vyzkumne organizace

Publication year

2025

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů

Name of the periodical

PEC Innovation

ISSN

2772-6282

e-ISSN

2772-6282

Volume of the periodical

7

Issue of the periodical within the volume

December

Country of publishing house

NL - THE KINGDOM OF THE NETHERLANDS

Number of pages

7

Pages from-to

100426

UT code for WoS article

001562528800001

EID of the result in the Scopus database

2-s2.0-105014242562