Innovating Sepsis Management Training with Virtual Reality

Background:

Sepsis is a life-threatening medical emergency, with timely identification and management being critical to patient outcomes. Traditional sepsis training often requires hands-on instruction in clinical settings, which can be resource-intensive and disruptive. Goggleminds® introduced a virtual reality (VR) simulation designed to teach healthcare professionals the principles of sepsis identification and management, improving accessibility to training without compromising quality. The instructional design follows principles adapted from Merrill’s instructional design theory and Bloom’s taxonomy, ensuring an effective, engaging, and immersive learning experience.

The Solution:

Goggleminds® implemented a VR-based sepsis management training module, utilising an immersive simulation to place participants in a virtual clinical setting. Healthcare professionals, including medical students on placement, interacted with virtual patients and completed a sepsis management scenario. The simulation was based on national guidelines and developed in collaboration with clinicians. During the 15–20 minute scenario, participants were able to assess the patient, make clinical decisions, and receive real-time feedback, with the entire process supported by a facilitating doctor. The VR simulation provided a high-fidelity learning experience, significantly improving both the accessibility and engagement of sepsis management training.

Data and Impact:

A pilot study was conducted with 14 medical students, who completed the VR sepsis simulation and then responded to a questionnaire using the Immersive Technology Evaluation Measure (ITEM). The results revealed:

• Immersion: Median score of 43 (out of 50), indicating high levels of perceived immersion and realism.
• Motivation: Median score of 45 (out of 50), reflecting strong intrinsic motivation to engage with the VR simulation.
• System Usability: Median usability score of 72.5 (out of 100), showing that participants found the system easy to use.
• Cognitive Load: Median cognitive load score of 56.7 (out of 100), indicating a moderate cognitive load during the VR training.

These findings demonstrate that the VR simulation not only enhanced learning engagement but also provided a realistic and usable system for teaching sepsis management.

Key Figure 1:

• Stat: 43/50 Immersion Score.
• Participants rated the VR sepsis management simulation highly immersive, with a median score of 43 out of 50.

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Key Figure 2:

• Stat: 72.5/100 Usability Score.
• The VR system achieved a usability score of 72.5, indicating that participants found the technology easy to use and engaging.

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Conclusion:

The virtual reality sepsis management training module developed by Goggleminds® has shown strong potential as an effective tool for healthcare education. Participants reported high levels of immersion, motivation, and usability, making this an accessible and engaging training method. With further research and optimisation, VR training could become a valuable asset in sepsis management education across a wide range of healthcare settings.