International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics
The Development and Piloting of a Virtual Reality Patient Consultation Simulation to Improve Oncology Practitioners Communication and Counseling Skills
Section snippets
Purpose
Improving clinician communication skills has direct ramifications for cancer patient care. Previous studies have shown better communication techniques reduces cancer patient's anxiety and depression levels.1,2 However, delivering effective, evidence-based communication training for clinicians is resource intensive and often difficult to deliver at scale - issues that have been further exacerbated by the COVID pandemic. VR simulation provides a revolutionary opportunity for flexible, self-paced
Methods
This project builds upon prior experience within our team, where members created an immersive, Virtual Reality (VR) simulation clinic that allowed trainees to interact with radiotherapy equipment and simulated patients.3,4 We sought to extend this by creating a new VR training module that allowed users to conduct extended conversations with two VR patients on emotive topics: 1) A new cancer diagnosis and 2) Recommendation of treatment cessation. This was supplemented by custom-made learning
Outcome
The VR simulation and training module was successfully built, with a pilot of the educational program launched in late 2020. It is delivered using a fully online platform. We plan on evaluating the program through various methods, including pathway mapping of the students' progress through the virtual consultations, to ascertain proficiency improvements over time. Trainee-reported evaluations of their confidence in dealing with such emotional scenarios post- program completion, will also be
Discussion
Sensitive and emotive conversations with patients are a daily part of oncological practice, for example, when delivering a new cancer diagnosis or discussing prognosis. Despite this, most specialty training programs focus on teaching and assessing so-called 'hard skills', including treatment choice and technique. 'Soft skills' such as how to best handle emotional conversations are typically taught in a more ad hoc manner. As the educational sphere evolves in a post-COVID world, VR simulated
Keywords
Communication skills, Virtual reality, Simulation, Medical Education, Oncology Education
References (4)
- et al.
Psychological responses of patients receiving a diagnosis of cancer
Ann Oncol
(2003) - et al.
Communication and information-giving in high-risk breast cancer consultations: influence on patient outcomes
Br J Cancer
(2004)