Abstract:

Background:
The therapeutic relationship is the vehicle through which a person-centred approach, that considers not only the individuals, but also their emotions, goals and needs, can be established with the patients. The Spanish National Agency of Evaluation of Quality and Accreditation (ANECA) stipulates that the Degree in Physiotherapy education program should allow the students to acquire interpersonal and patient-centred care competences. Healthcare students should therefore develop empathy, authenticity, unconditional acceptance of the patient and active listening to achieve this. On the other hand, active methodologies can be used to enhance the competency-based education in the health professions. Simulation using virtual reality (VR) technologies improve the teaching and learning process by providing students with immersive and accessible experiences that can be easily monitored by teachers. Although VR has showed promising results in medical education (e.g. anatomy courses and surgical skills training), little is known about its efficacy in the learning of patient-centred care competences.

Objectives:
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of a 360º immersive VR technology on the empathy of Physiotherapy degree students.

Methodology:
A total of 43 students in their third year of the French Program of the Degree in Physiotherapy participated in an interventional pre-post study enclosed in the project called “Put yourself in my shoes” (“Ponte en mis zapatos”®). Using a goggles enclosed-mobile device, the students watched a 360º video recording based on immersive VR; the recording consisted in a linear story-telling narrative video where the participant experiences the role of a stroke patient. Before (PRE-TEST) and immediately after (POST-TEST) the activity, the participants filled out the health professional’s version of the Jefferson Empathy Scale (JSE-HP). Data show a mean±standard deviation. PRE-TEST and POST-TEST were compared using the Mann–Whitney U test (95% confidence interval).

Results:
The mean age of the participants was 22.7±1.7 years. Almost 91% had previous experience with real patients. Before watching the recording, the lower scores were observed in all the items related to “compassionate care” (between 1.30±0.91 and 1.95±1.83 out of 7). However, most of them showed a non-significant increase in the POST-TEST (between 1.51±1.03 and 3.00±1.61). Items 5 and 9 (related to “perspective taking”) showed a statistically significant improvement (from 5.67±1.29 to 5.93±1.30, p=0.041; 5.65±1.19 to 5.98±1.16, p=0.038 respectively) when PRE and POST answers were compared.

Conclusion:
Simulation through immersive VR could be a useful active methodology for improving students' cognitive and emotional empathy.

Keywords:

Simulation, virtual reality, physical therapy, immersive, empathy, stroke, education.