Education for PPE Compliance

The Case Justification for VR Education

Metanalysis has demonstrated that PPE compliance does not meet required CDC standards, despite the best of intention by healthcare providers.

The human engineering, lean methods, and quality improvement strategies aid in improving compliance but also illustrate the environmental, cognitive and stressors placed on the level of user compliance.

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According to Eubanks et al. (2016) only 34 % of healthcare workers donned all required PPE, and specifically only 37% of staff complied with eye protection. Only 40 % of healthcare workers complied with hand hygiene protocols, including glove use (Erasmus et al. 2018).

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Human Engineering Design reflects the impact of noise in the work environment, frequent interruptions, and timed task on compliance to standards.  Additionally, learners are typically instructed on standardized donning and doffing techniques, however 36% of donning/doffing standards are missed or altered due to competing priorities and emergency needs.

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The best compliance is achieved through repetitive realtime education and concurrent monitoring of compliance with a buddy or partner in PPE compliance system. Many organizations have limited resources to ensure a buddy for every clinician who dons and doffs PPE, and educational resources are limited.

With VR people can be trained in an interactive and motivating environment free from risk of contamination, and exposure. According to The American Society of Simulation in Education (n.d.), VR has improved cognitive retention and engagement by over 25%.

Through VR, people can learn and practice in a realistic environment, with full movement, before having to step into a hospital.

VR provides a platform for group, instructor led, or individual led PPE instruction. The software includes an information session and practice module for rehearsing competencies.

The technology is available as a web hosted or package product, and instruction guided, installation supported service.