Virtual Reality Simulation in Interprofessional Round Training for Health Care Students: A Qualitative Evaluation Study

Abstract

Background: Interprofessional rounds are increasingly applied in providing patient-centered team care delivery. Students from six health care courses in medicine, nursing, pharmacy, physiotherapy, occupational therapy, and social work formed interprofessional teams to undertake an interprofessional education (IPE) on virtual reality simulation–based interprofessional rounds. This study aimed to evaluate health care students’ perspectives on the transferability of the IPE virtual reality simulation learning to clinical practice. Method: Three focus group discussions were conducted. Results: Three themes emerged: “gaining insights into mutual roles,” whereby students better understood the different interprofessional roles of other team members, “seeing the patient as a whole” to foster patient-centered care, and “gaps in real-world application” due to system and structure constraints. Conclusions: Early exposure to team care through IPE virtual reality simulation can foster understandings of the interdependent roles of health care professionals toward patient-centered care. For greater clinical impact, a further recommendation is to supplement with workplace-based team training to contextualize learning with practice settings.