School of Medicine (Optometry), Deakin University, 75 Pigdons Road, Waurn Ponds, 3216, Australia.
Deakin Learning Futures, Deakin University, Burwood, VIC, 3125, Australia.
BMC Med Educ. 2022 Nov 30;22(1):823. doi: 10.1186/s12909-022-03912-8.
Virtual simulations are used throughout healthcare training programs to enable development of clinical skills, however the potential for virtual simulation to enhance cognitive and affective skills is less well understood. This study explored pre-clinical optometry students' perceptions of the impact of virtual simulation on the development of core competency skills including patient-centred care, communication, scientific literacy, and evidence-based practice.
A mixed methods study was conducted using pre-existing anonymized data from an electronic survey distributed to pre-clinical optometry students enrolled in the double degree Bachelor of Vision Science/Master of Optometry at Deakin University, Australia. The data were interpreted using descriptive statistics and qualitative analysis using constant comparison for thematic analysis.
A total of 51 responses were analyzed. Students reported that virtual simulation motivated them to become an optometrist (93%) and to learn beyond the course material (77%). Students reported that after participating in the virtual simulation, their core competency skills improved: patient-centered care (100%) evidence-based practice (93%) and clinical reasoning (93%). The themes identified through qualitative analysis were: enablers to cognitive experience in virtual simulation in optometry education, realism of the virtual simulation design, dimensions of fidelity in virtual simulations design replicated the complexity of the optometric environment, virtual simulation as an enabler for learning and assessment in optometry education, a place to develop cognitive and affective skills and application of learning in the virtual simulation developed an appreciation of future roles and professional identity.
Optometry students perceived virtual simulation in optometric education as a valuable training and assessment strategy enabled by qualities that generate contextual, cognitive, functional, task and psychological fidelity. The data provide insight to inform how optometry educators can incorporate simulation into the curriculum.
虚拟模拟在整个医疗保健培训计划中被用于发展临床技能，但虚拟模拟增强认知和情感技能的潜力还不太为人所知。本研究探讨了前临床视光学专业学生对虚拟模拟对包括以患者为中心的护理、沟通、科学素养和循证实践在内的核心能力技能发展的影响的看法。
使用澳大利亚迪肯大学双学位视光学理学士/验光硕士课程前临床视光学专业学生的现有匿名电子调查数据，进行混合方法研究。使用描述性统计和定性分析（使用恒定比较进行主题分析）对数据进行解释。
共分析了 51 份回复。学生报告说，虚拟模拟激发了他们成为验光师的兴趣（93%），并促使他们学习课程材料以外的知识（77%）。学生报告说，参加虚拟模拟后，他们的核心能力技能有所提高：以患者为中心的护理（100%）、循证实践（93%）和临床推理（93%）。通过定性分析确定的主题包括：虚拟模拟在视光学教育中促进认知体验的因素、虚拟模拟设计的逼真性、虚拟模拟设计的逼真度维度复制了视光环境的复杂性、虚拟模拟作为视光学教育中的学习和评估促进因素、发展认知和情感技能的场所、以及虚拟模拟中的学习应用培养了对未来角色和专业身份的认识。
视光学专业学生认为视光学教育中的虚拟模拟是一种有价值的培训和评估策略，其特点是产生情境、认知、功能、任务和心理逼真度。这些数据为视光教育者如何将模拟纳入课程提供了信息。
