BACKGROUND
Cardiac arrest after cardiac surgery commonly has a reversible cause, where often emergency re-sternotomy is required for treatment, as recommended by international guidelines. We have developed a virtual reality (VR) simulation for training of CPR and emergency re-sternotomy procedures after cardiac surgery, the CardioPulmonary resuscitation VR-simulator (CPVR-sim). In this prospective study, we researched face validity and content validity of this CPVR-sim.
OBJECTIVE
We designed a prospective study to assess the feasibility and to establish the face and content validity of CPVR-sim in a group of novices and experts in performing CPR and emergency re-sternotomies in patients after cardiac surgery.
METHODS
Thirty clinicians (staff cardiothoracic surgeons, physicians, surgical residents, and nurse practitioners) participated as either an expert or novice, based on experience with emergency re-sternotomy. All performed the simulation and completed the questionnaire rating the simulator’s usefulness, satisfaction, ease of use, effectiveness, and immersiveness to assess face validity and content validity.
RESULTS
Responses towards face validity and content validity were predominantly positive in both groups. Most participants felt actively involved (97%), in charge of the situation (73%), it was easy to learn how to interact with the software (80%), and the software responded well (70%). Almost all expert-participants preferred VR training as a substitute to conventional (100%) and digital (60% agreed and 40% was neutral) training. Moreover, 86% of the expert-participants would recommend VR training to other colleagues, and 93% found that CPVR-sim is a useful method to train infrequent CPR-cases after cardiac surgery.
CONCLUSIONS
We developed a proof-of-concept of a VR simulation for CPR training after cardiac surgery, which participants found was immersive and useful. By proving the face validity and content validity of CPVR-sim, we present a first step towards a cardiothoracic surgery VR training platform.
Correction: Feasibility of Virtual Reality Audiological Testing: Prospective Study