Education in Focused Assessment With Sonography for Trauma Using Immersive Virtual Reality: A Prospective, Interventional Cohort Study and Non-inferiority Analysis With a Historical Control

Kirstine Junge*, Jonas D Larsen, Sarah W Stougaard, Rune O Jensen, Casper Falster, Stefan Posth, Anders B Nielsen, Christian B Laursen, Lars Konge, Ole Graumann, Pia I Pietersen

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalJournal articleResearchpeer-review

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Abstract

OBJECTIVE: Focused assessment with ultrasonography for trauma (FAST) is a valuable ultrasound procedure in emergency settings, and there is a need for evidence-based education in FAST to ensure competencies. Immersive virtual reality (IVR) is a progressive training modality gaining traction in the field of ultrasonography training. IVR holds several economic and practical advantages to the common instructor-led FAST courses using screen-based simulation (SBS).

METHODS: This prospective, interventional cohort study investigated whether training FAST using IVR unsupervised and out-of-hospital was non-inferior to a historical control group training at a 90 min SBS course in terms of developing FAST competencies in novices. Competencies were assessed in both groups using the same post-training simulation-based FAST test with validity evidence, and a non-inferiority margin of 2 points was chosen.

RESULTS: A total of 27 medical students attended the IVR course, and 27 junior doctors attended the SBS course. The IVR group trained for a median time of 117 min and scored a mean 14.2 ± 2.0 points, compared with a mean 13.7 ± 2.5 points in the SBS group. As the lower bound of the 95% confidence interval at 13.6 was within the range of the non-inferiority margin (11.7-13.7 points), training FAST in IVR for a median of 117 min was found non-inferior to training at a 90 min SBS course. No significant correlation was found between time spent in IVR and test scores.

CONCLUSION: Within the limitations of the use of a historical control group, the results suggest that IVR could be an alternative to SBS FAST training and suitable for unsupervised, out-of-hospital courses in basic FAST competencies.

Original languageEnglish
JournalUltrasound in Medicine & Biology
Volume50
Issue number2
Pages (from-to)277-284
ISSN0301-5629
DOIs
Publication statusPublished - Feb 2024

Keywords

  • Education
  • Focused assessment with sonography for trauma
  • Immersive virtual reality
  • Non-inferiority
  • Simulation
  • Simulation-based training
  • Skills
  • Ultrasonography
  • Clinical Competence
  • Focused Assessment with Sonography for Trauma
  • Prospective Studies
  • Humans
  • Virtual Reality
  • Cohort Studies

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