Virtual Reality and Mental Health
Using virtual reality, nurses are given an opportunity to walk through different Code White scenarios in a safe and secure, simulated environment, before experiencing them first-hand.
Imagine being on shift when a patient arrives displaying aggressive behaviour and signs of declining mental health. You are asked to treat the patient, but you have little to no actual experience in this type of situation. How do you react?
University of Saskatchewan (USask) College of Nursing assistant professor Dr. Don Leidl (EdD) and Karyn Kawula, Director of Inpatient Mental Health & Addiction Services with the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA), have teamed up to create simulated training experiences for nursing staff working at The Irene & Leslie Dubé Centre for Mental Health in Saskatoon, SK.
“The management of aggressive patients (Code White) requires specific skills and knowledge to find safe, peaceful patient resolutions,” said Leidl. “This knowledge and these skillsets are difficult to develop because nurses have limited learning opportunities, outside of real-life clinical experience. When a Code White situation arises and nursing staff feels unprepared, it often leads to both negative patient and staff experiences.”
Through the use of virtual reality, Leidl and Kawula will provide opportunities for nursing staff to walk through different Code White scenarios in a safe and secure, simulated environment, instead of experiencing it for the first time at the Dubé Centre.
“It is important that staff working with patients who exhibit agitation and aggression have the knowledge and skills necessary to calm and deescalate agitated patients, and the decision making and leadership ability to respond to a violent patient situation,” said Kawula.
Beginning in April, Leidl and Kawula will work with their research team to script, shoot, and edit the video learning scenario. Once the video is complete, they will start working with nurse participants using virtual reality equipment to place the participants in the newly created simulated learning scenario.
“By creating these alternative learning scenarios for practicing mental health clinicians, it gives them an opportunity to develop knowledge, confidence, and competence related to the assessment, interventions, and management of aggressive patients in the mental health and addictions clinical care setting,” said Leidl.
Although the target audience will initially be nursing staff at the Dubé Centre, the team hopes to expand the opportunity for training to all healthcare clinicians and support staff working at the Dubé Centre, including physicians and residents, health science students, social workers, occupational therapists, recreational therapists, unit clerks, and unit support workers.
Once the pilot project is complete at the Dubé Centre, Leidl and Kawula believe Emergency Departments and the additional seven inpatient psychiatric centers within Saskatchewan would benefit from adding this training to their violence management and prevention programs already in place.
The research team for this project also includes Dr. Hua Li (PhD) (USask College of Nursing), Dr. Jay Wilson (USask College of Education), and Dr. Mike Wesolowski (PhD) (Luxsonic Technologies).
This project is funded in part by the Royal University Hospital Foundation Community Mental Health Endowment Granting Program.