Virtual, augmented and mixed reality simulation for teaching and assessing situational awareness and decision-making in health professions education: a scoping review protocol

Abstract

Virtual reality (VR) simulation is a rapidly expanding disruptive technology within healthcare professions education with the possibility of significantly transforming how healthcare education is delivered. There is a perceived gap in the current synthesized literature of how VR is being used to teach and assess key skills relating to situational awareness (SA) and decision-making (DM) across the spectrum of undergraduate healthcare professions. This paper details the scoping review protocol that will address this current gap. The scoping review will examine ‘What is known about the use of VR within simulation training for SA and DM behavioural skills in healthcare professions education?’. This main question will be addressed by synthesizing the answers to three sub-questions: (1) In what contexts is VR used within simulation training for SA and DM behavioural skills in healthcare professions education? (2) What outcome measures are used to examine the impacts of VR use within simulation training for SA and DM behavioural skills in healthcare professions education? (3) What educational theories underpin VR use within simulation training for behavioural skills in healthcare professions education? Nine databases, PubMed, PsychINFO, Embase, Scopus, Web of Science, CINAHL, ERIC, and Google Scholar, will be searched using a pre-defined search strategy with explicit inclusion and exclusion criteria. A data extraction template will be used to map out the data before summarizing, synthesis and reporting. This scoping review aims to address the current gap in the literature regarding what is known about VR simulation and DM and SA across undergraduate health education programmes, identifying current trends and uses as well as gaps in the published literature for further exploration.