Enhancing Mass Casualty Triage Through Virtual Reality Simulation

Overview

This interventional study aims to investigate whether Virtual Reality (VR) compared to traditional education and training, can enhance the correct triage abilities of nursing students in simulated mass casualty incidents (MCI). The primary research question seeks to answer if VR compared to Standard education supports students' ability to triage correctly in a simulated MCI situation. Additionally, this study aims to address the following secondary questions: Does VR compared to standard education have an effect on the time to triage in a simulated MCI situation? And, does VR compared to Standard education have an effect on theoretical knowledge retention concerning triage in MCI situations? In the interventional group, participants will utilize VR for MCI training and learning, while the control group will undergo standard education, including lectures and paper exercises. The researchers will compare the two groups of nursing students to assess whether VR yields better outcomes in MCI triage education.

A randomized controlled trial (RCT) involving nursing students from a university in Stockholm, Sweden. The students are randomly allocated in a 1:1 ratio to either VR (intervention) or standard training in triaging during a mass casualty Incident. Both groups of participants will receive the same lecture on disaster events and triage using the same method before undergoing triage training either with VR support or traditional paper-based training. To achieve a power of 0.80 and a p-value of 0.05, a total of 60 participants are required (control n=30, intervention n=30). However, all students (approximately 100) will be invited to participate in the study to avoid excluding those who wish to take part in the study. The primary outcome measure is the students' ability to triage correctly. Secondary outcome measures include knowledge and knowledge retention, as well as the time taken to triage correctly. Knowledge tests will be conducted approximately one week after training and again 3-6 months after completing the training. The knowledge test consists of a questionnaire with 20 multiple-choice questions used in previous studies.