Virtual Reality Medical Workflow Training

Hyperacute Stroke Management for Paramedics

TACTICS VR – Stroke Paramedic has been developed as a partnership between NSW Ambulance and the Centre for Advanced Training Systems (University of Newcastle) in collaboration with the Hunter New England Stroke Research Group and funding via the Hunter New England Local Health District Telehealth Initiative.

The module was initiated to address a recognised unmet need for educational training tools to support pre-hospital stroke assessment and transport decision-making. It builds on a long-standing collaboration between the John Hunter stroke team and NSW Ambulance to enhance out-of-hospital care for stroke patients and get best-practice treatments to patients in a timely manner.

The primary goals of TACTICS VR – Stroke Paramedic training are to:

Provide stroke workflow training with specific emphasis on the paramedic role
Increase confidence & awareness of stroke-specific assessment processes
Integrate neurologist telesupport & transport decision-making
Develop competency knowledge in applying stroke workflow processes in out-of-hospital care

In TACTICS VR – Stroke Paramedic, VR users are guided through a real-world stroke patient case with specific emphasis on the paramedic role in stroke assessment, communication and transport decision-making.

Content is organised across the following scenes:

  • Opening
  • Introduction & Instructions
  • Notification / Pre-Arrival
  • Arrival & Initial Assessment
  • Stroke Assessment
  • Transport Decision & Communication
  • Transport & Handover
  • User Feedback

TACTICS VR – Stroke Paramedic has been developed with implementation in the Hunter region planned for 2024. Research and reporting will be ongoing.

NSW Ambulance staff have co-developed and informed TACTICS VR – Stroke Paramedic for assessment in initial pilot studies within the NSW Hunter region.

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