Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting

Abstract Racism continues to plague Western societies’ institutions, including the healthcare system. Despite the evidence of racism’s negative impacts on healthcare providers, administrators, patients, and families, healthcare workers report hesitancy in taking action to address racism in the workp...

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Main Authors: Lindsay Beavers, Tin Vo, Julia Lee, Thanya Duvage, Hollie Mullins, Aradhana Tewari, Allison Needham, Ryan Brydges
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2024-12-01
Series:Advances in Simulation
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-024-00322-2
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author Lindsay Beavers
Tin Vo
Julia Lee
Thanya Duvage
Hollie Mullins
Aradhana Tewari
Allison Needham
Ryan Brydges
author_facet Lindsay Beavers
Tin Vo
Julia Lee
Thanya Duvage
Hollie Mullins
Aradhana Tewari
Allison Needham
Ryan Brydges
author_sort Lindsay Beavers
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Racism continues to plague Western societies’ institutions, including the healthcare system. Despite the evidence of racism’s negative impacts on healthcare providers, administrators, patients, and families, healthcare workers report hesitancy in taking action to address racism in the workplace. Simulation, with its experiential pedagogy and foundation in psychological safety, may be an educational tool to support practical training. Guided by a social cognitive view of regulation of learning, we piloted virtual reality (VR) modules focused on addressing bias, privilege, and microaggressions. We used pre-/post-surveys, reflective journals, built-in VR platform data, and simulation debriefing session notes to better understand the effectiveness and usability of these VR modules in our organization. Overall, participants found the VR modules highly valuable, and we noted a shift in participants’ reported intentions to take action to address racism in the workplace. Participants also noted the importance of a multifaceted plan that goes beyond education to ensure a meaningful culture shift toward addressing racism at work. Practical lessons from this pilot study included the necessity of an informed debriefing plan focused on participants’ positionality and power and the need to deeply understand our institution’s information technology (IT) environment to ensure successful deployment of VR technology.
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series Advances in Simulation
spelling doaj-art-b6969b40f9f647ec94706fa38757ada72025-08-20T02:31:04ZengBMCAdvances in Simulation2059-06282024-12-01911910.1186/s41077-024-00322-2Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare settingLindsay Beavers0Tin Vo1Julia Lee2Thanya Duvage3Hollie Mullins4Aradhana Tewari5Allison Needham6Ryan Brydges7Unity Health TorontoFactor-Inwentash Faculty of Social Work, University of TorontoUnity Health TorontoUnity Health TorontoUnity Health TorontoUnity Health TorontoUnity Health TorontoUnity Health TorontoAbstract Racism continues to plague Western societies’ institutions, including the healthcare system. Despite the evidence of racism’s negative impacts on healthcare providers, administrators, patients, and families, healthcare workers report hesitancy in taking action to address racism in the workplace. Simulation, with its experiential pedagogy and foundation in psychological safety, may be an educational tool to support practical training. Guided by a social cognitive view of regulation of learning, we piloted virtual reality (VR) modules focused on addressing bias, privilege, and microaggressions. We used pre-/post-surveys, reflective journals, built-in VR platform data, and simulation debriefing session notes to better understand the effectiveness and usability of these VR modules in our organization. Overall, participants found the VR modules highly valuable, and we noted a shift in participants’ reported intentions to take action to address racism in the workplace. Participants also noted the importance of a multifaceted plan that goes beyond education to ensure a meaningful culture shift toward addressing racism at work. Practical lessons from this pilot study included the necessity of an informed debriefing plan focused on participants’ positionality and power and the need to deeply understand our institution’s information technology (IT) environment to ensure successful deployment of VR technology.https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-024-00322-2RacismSimulationVirtual reality (VR)
spellingShingle Lindsay Beavers
Tin Vo
Julia Lee
Thanya Duvage
Hollie Mullins
Aradhana Tewari
Allison Needham
Ryan Brydges
Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
Advances in Simulation
Racism
Simulation
Virtual reality (VR)
title Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
title_full Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
title_fullStr Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
title_full_unstemmed Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
title_short Using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
title_sort using virtual reality simulation to address racism in a healthcare setting
topic Racism
Simulation
Virtual reality (VR)
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s41077-024-00322-2
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