Critical Practise Is Provided by Augmented and Virtual Reality During Healthcare Training

AR, VR, and XR training are used in medical schools and healthcare facilities to offer repeatable, immersive surgical simulations that provide beneficial practice.

Without using a cadaver or a living patient, healthcare practitioners are developing new techniques to teach and train students and learners. Nurses, as well as doctors and surgeons, are being prepared for real-world practice and surgeries through the use of augmented reality (AR), virtual reality (VR), and even augmented reality (XR).

According to research firm Research and Markets, the healthcare AR and VR industry could have a compound annual growth rate of 22.5 percent between 2023 and 2027.

There are several cutting-edge technologies that make up the healthcare metaverse: A virtual image is overlaid on a real environment using augmented reality (AR), which combines real and computer-generated content. A virtual reality simulation is used to train medical professionals. Students studying medicine use haptic feedback controllers and virtual reality headgear. XR includes all immersive learning techniques including AR and VR.

As per Kristen Brown, the Johns Hopkins School of Nursing has implemented virtual reality training at all levels, from PhD to pre-licensure nursing. Resuscitation, allergic reactions, post-surgical administration, acute care management and pediatric critical care are some of the training’s main focus areas.

Brown is planning a multiplayer VR study with up to 100 participants involving medical and nursing students.

Oculus VR headset and an Alienware system from Dell Technologies make up Johns Hopkins’ VR system. Although hand haptics are included in the VR configuration, Brown claims that cognitive decision making is more important for VR medical teaching. She wished for AI capabilities that could change in response to what children are learning.

In contrast to training conducted in a cadaver or bioskills laboratory, where students can only perform exercises once or twice. Mazzocca says VR allows students to practice an exercise multiple times. Now, he argues, professors can alert students if they need to properly reposition their hands or spend enough time staring at an X-ray. Surgery requires a strong understanding of three dimensions, and training in hand positioning in different planes is essential.

According to Mazzocca, understanding the proper steps for an operation and taking an X-ray at the right angle are important components of orthopedic VR surgery. In addition, students are taught how to reduce a broken bone, which involves aligning the ends of a broken bone by pushing and pulling. He argues that VR allows students to practice knee or shoulder replacement or pinning fractures repeatedly without having to do it on real patients.

According to Mazzocca, the field of virtual reality is just beginning. He claims that while virtual reality is still in its infancy, there is still room to spread it to all aspects of orthopedic surgery, such as hip fractures, ACL reconstructions and shoulder instability surgeries.

According to Mazzocca, virtual reality in medicine “will continue to grow and be better, but at this point I think it’s excellent for student and resident education.”

A look at the human body’s anatomy is one of the benefits of using AR and VR. There are situations where the student can enter the body and observe what is going on with the pathophysiology, anatomy and physiology so that they can really understand what is going on with the patient. This can support interventions, according to Anderson.

According to her, students can observe what happens during a heart attack or stroke, for example. According to Anderson, one of the methods UCF has used of augmented reality is to prepare students for a manikin-based simulation with related materials.