• Nanna L Andersen, Rune O Jensen, Stefan Posth, Christian B Laursen, Rasmus Jørgensen, and Ole Graumann.
• Department of Radiology, Odense University Hospital.
• Medicine (Baltimore). 2021 Jul 9; 100 (27): e26394e26394.

IntroductionImmersive virtual reality (IVR)-based training is gaining ground as an educational tool in healthcare. When combined with well-established educational methods, IVR can potentially increase competency and autonomy in ultrasound (US)-guided peripheral venous cannulation.The aim of this study was to examine the impact of adding IVR training to a course in US-guided peripheral venous cannulation.MethodsMedical students (n = 19) from the University of Southern Denmark with no former standardized US education were recruited to voluntarily participate in a pilot study, designed as a randomized controlled trial. The primary outcome was the proportion of successful peripheral venous cannulations on a phantom. Secondary outcomes included the proportion of surface punctures on the phantom and procedure time. Participants received e-learning on the basic US before randomization to either IVR (n = 10) or no further training (n = 9). The additional IVR training comprised 10 virtual scenarios for US-guided peripheral venous catheter (PVC) placement. Students were subsequently evaluated in peripheral venous cannulation by a blinded assessor.ResultsThe proportion of successful peripheral venous cannulations was significantly higher in the IVR group (P ≤ .001). The proportions of successful cannulations were significantly higher in the IVR group compared to the control group for the 1st and 2nd PVC (P = .011, P = .023), but not for the 3rd PVC (P = .087). Similar results were found for the proportion of surface punctures (1st: P ≤ .001, 2nd: P = .001, and 3rd: P = .114). No significant differences in procedure times were found between the groups.ConclusionThis pilot study showed that adding an IVR-based training simulation to an existing e-learning curriculum significantly increased the learning efficacy of US-guided PVC placement for medical students.Copyright © 2021 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.

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