Virtual Reality Training for Maternal Healthcare

(BELIEVE Trial)

Age: 18+

Sex: Any

Trial Phase: Academic

Sponsor: University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Disqualifiers: Gestational age < 24 weeks, Incarcerated, Others

Compensation: Varies

Number of Visits: Unknown

What You Need to Know Before You Apply

What is the purpose of this trial?

This trial aims to determine if virtual reality training for healthcare teams can improve the experience of people receiving maternal care. It focuses on reducing disparities in hospital treatment for birthing individuals. The trial compares usual care with care from teams trained through the BELIEVE IPE Training program, which emphasizes valuing diverse backgrounds. Ideal candidates for the trial include Black or Spanish-speaking birthing parents who have given birth at a participating hospital. As an unphased trial, this study allows participants to contribute to innovative research that could enhance maternal care experiences.

Will I have to stop taking my current medications?

The trial information does not specify whether participants need to stop taking their current medications.

What prior data suggests that this virtual reality training is safe for maternal healthcare?

Research has shown that interprofessional education (IPE) methods, such as the BELIEVE IPE Training, are generally safe for participants. These programs aim to improve teamwork and communication among healthcare workers, enhancing patient care. Studies have found that IPE can boost collaboration without harming participants.

As an educational program, the BELIEVE IPE Training does not involve drugs or medical procedures, eliminating concerns about typical medical side effects. Participants usually find this type of training manageable because it involves learning and communication exercises rather than physical treatments.

Overall, the focus on education and teamwork in the BELIEVE IPE Training indicates it is safe for participants. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Why are researchers excited about this trial?

The BELIEVE IPE Training is unique because it uses virtual reality to enhance maternal healthcare by providing immersive, interprofessional education to healthcare teams. Unlike traditional training methods that may rely on lectures or simulations, this approach allows healthcare providers to experience real-time, interactive scenarios, potentially improving teamwork and communication skills. Researchers are excited about this trial because it could lead to more equitable and effective care for birthing people, addressing disparities in maternal health outcomes by fostering better collaboration among healthcare professionals.

What evidence suggests that this virtual reality training is effective for improving maternal healthcare?

Research shows that training healthcare workers from different fields together can enhance teamwork and communication. The BELIEVE IPE Training in this trial aims to create fair and balanced healthcare teams that prioritize the health of all birthing individuals. Studies have found that effective collaboration among healthcare providers improves outcomes for mothers, particularly in communities facing health challenges. This training focuses on reducing these challenges by boosting teamwork in maternal healthcare. Although specific data on the effectiveness of BELIEVE IPE is limited, research well supports the overall benefits of such training. ^{1 2 3 5 6}

Who Is on the Research Team?

Alison Stuebe, MD, MSc

Principal Investigator

University of North Carollina at Chapel Hill

Are You a Good Fit for This Trial?

This trial is for maternity care providers, nurses, lactation consultants, or doulas working at least 4 shifts a month. It's also for birthing parents who are Black or have limited English proficiency in Spanish and had a live birth after the study began. Babies must be born after 24 weeks of gestation.

Inclusion Criteria

Healthcare Team Participants must be employed as one of the following roles: maternity care provider, nurse, lactation consultant, or doula.

Birthing Parent Interview Participants must have had a live birth at a participating site from the start of the study through the last Data Retrieval timepoint.

Birthing Parent Data Extraction Participants must have had a live birth at a participating site from the start of the study through the last Data Retrieval timepoint.

Exclusion Criteria

Birthing Parent Interview Participants must not be currently incarcerated.

My baby was born before 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Birthing Parent Interview Participants' baby must have a birth gestational age less than 24 weeks.

Timeline for a Trial Participant

Screening

Participants are screened for eligibility to participate in the trial

2-4 weeks

Pre-intervention

Birthing people at participating hospitals experience treatment-as-usual

Up to 4 months

Post-intervention

Birthing people at participating hospitals experience treatment by health care teams that have undergone BELIEVE IPE training

Up to 4 months

Follow-up

Participants are monitored for safety and effectiveness after treatment

2-8 weeks postpartum

What Are the Treatments Tested in This Trial?

Interventions

• BELIEVE IPE Training

Trial Overview The BELIEVE IPE Training delivered via virtual reality aims to improve maternal healthcare experiences and reduce disparities. The training is compared with usual care practices in a step-wedge design where different groups start the intervention at different times.

How Is the Trial Designed?

Group I: Post-intervention Active Control 1 Intervention

In the post-intervention sequence(s), birthing people at participating hospitals will experience treatment by health care teams that have undergone the Building Equitable Linkages With Interprofessional Education Valuing Everyone interprofessional education (BELIEVE IPE) training.

Group II: Pre-intervention Placebo Group 1 Intervention

In the pre-intervention sequence(s), birthing people at participating hospitals will experience treatment-as-usual.

Who Is Running the Clinical Trial?

University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill

Lead Sponsor

Trials

1,588

Recruited

4,364,000+

American Heart Association

Collaborator

Trials

352

Recruited

6,196,000+

Citations

1. believeipe.org believeipe.org/

BelieveIPE: Home We are developing an interprofessional education (IPE) curriculum to help healthcare workers build teams that values health for all birthing people and for ...

2. nhlbi.nih.gov nhlbi.nih.gov/healthy-hearts-network-partner-spotlight/believe-advancing-black-maternal-health-building-equitable

BELIEVE: Advancing Black Maternal Health by Building ... The BELIEVE team is committed to collaboration among all disciplines in maternal health care because it leads to improved outcomes for mothers ...

3. believeipe.org believeipe.org/about/

About the Project - BelieveIPE The BELIEVE team is working with birthing people and healthcare workers to learn how collaboration can help us to work together better.

4. professional.heart.org professional.heart.org/en/research-programs/aha-funded-research/health-equity-research-network-on-disparities-in-maternal-infant-health

Health Equity Research Network on Disparities in Maternal ... The overriding goal of the P3 EQUATE Health Equity Research Network is to promote equity in Maternal and Infant Health outcomes.

5. bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com bmcmededuc.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12909-025-06969-3

A scoping review of interprofessional education in healthcare Interprofessional education (IPE) is essential in healthcare to enhance collaboration, communication and teamwork among health professions ...

6. cedi.umd.edu cedi.umd.edu/health-information-data-justice/

Health Information & Data Justice BELIEVE is focused on developing interprofessional training that prevents and helping to heal medical and workplace traumas experienced by birthing people, ...