The development of the compromised neonate: A virtual reality neonatal resuscitation program

Globally, about 2.5 million newborns die annually during
the neonatal period and improving and increasing the availability of
neonatal resuscitation training is considered a global health priority.
Neonatal resuscitation comprises interventions to preserve or
initiate breathing and/or circulation. In Australia, health personnel
attending births are expected to maintain these skills through regular
involvement in neonatal resuscitation training programs.
Simulation-based education incorporating deliberate practice,
reflection and feedback on practice, has become central to neonatal
resuscitation training. Simulation-based education can require
considerable material and human resource investments that may
limit access to training. Technological advancement has brought
changes in neonatal resuscitation training, including the use of
immersive and non-immersive virtual reality simulation techniques.
It is important that health professionals are involved in the design
and development of simulation-based education initiatives in areas
such as neonatal resuscitation training. The objective of this paper is
to outline the development of an immersive virtual reality neonatal
resuscitation program, the “compromised neonate simulation”, and
describe the initial implementation and attitudes of the program
amongst a small group of final year undergraduate midwifery
students in one Australian University. Given the recent COVID-19
pandemic, the use of transformative technology such as virtual
reality may afford new and immersive educational opportunities in
training health care professionals.