Healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) impact one in every 31 patients, cause nearly 100,000 deaths each year, and cost USD 28.4 billion in direct medical expenses. Notably, up to 75% of these infections are preventable with proper infection control practices. However, despite the widespread use of portable medical equipment like blood pressure cuffs, glucometers, and portable imaging machines, studies consistently show that these devices are inadequately disinfected, posing a significant risk of infection transmission. Now, researchers have developed a virtual reality (VR) training tool aimed at improving infection prevention practices, particularly around the cleaning and disinfection of shared medical equipment.

The immersive VR module, developed at Mass General Brigham (Boston, MA, USA), uses head-mounted displays and places learners in a simulated inpatient healthcare setting. It uses gamification and visualizations of invisible contamination to train users on disinfecting two commonly used devices: a vital signs machine and a point-of-care ultrasound machine. The interactive experience reinforces key concepts in cleaning and disinfection protocols, enhancing user engagement through virtual, scenario-based learning. In a pilot study across seven U.S. healthcare facilities, researchers initially trained 31 participants and used their feedback to refine the module. A second round of testing was then conducted with 44 additional participants. Among them, 39 individuals (88.6%) reported a positive overall experience with the VR training.

While about half of the participants experienced mild motion sickness, which is common among new VR users, very few reported issues with using the module—such as maneuvering virtual medical devices, donning and doffing virtual gloves, or interpreting instructions. The tool’s engaging and immersive format was frequently cited by learners as a highlight of the experience. Although current research has focused on usability and learner satisfaction, ongoing studies aim to evaluate the impact of VR training on clinical knowledge, skill acquisition, and actual competency in infection control practices. By enhancing clinician training in the proper disinfection of shared medical equipment, this VR module offers a promising way to reduce the risk of HAIs. Its potential lies in equipping healthcare professionals with practical, hands-on knowledge that can be applied in real-world settings, supporting safer environments for patients and reducing the economic and human toll of preventable infections.

“We know that when core infection control practices are correctly and consistently applied, the risk to patients is reduced; but we also know that the way we have been teaching these practices for decades is not delivering,” said senior author Erica S. Shenoy, MD, PhD, chief of Infection Control for Mass General Brigham. “We wanted clinicians to be able to ‘see the unseen’ risk and be completely immersed in a way that could lead to improved knowledge and skills when back in the real world.”

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