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

32000 Participants Needed

Trial Summary

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 data supports the effectiveness of the treatment BELIEVE IPE Training in the clinical trial Virtual Reality Training for Maternal Healthcare?

Research shows that virtual reality (VR) training can improve skills in medical fields, such as laparoscopic surgery and postpartum hemorrhage management, by providing realistic practice environments. This suggests that VR training, like BELIEVE IPE, could be effective in enhancing maternal healthcare skills. ^{1 2 3 4 5}

Is virtual reality training for maternal healthcare safe for humans?

The research on simulation and virtual reality training for maternal healthcare, such as the BELIEVE IPE Training, suggests that these methods provide a safe environment for healthcare professionals to practice skills without risk to real patients. These training tools are designed to improve skills and teamwork, which can enhance patient safety in real-life situations. ^{1 3 5 6 7}

How is the BELIEVE IPE Training treatment different from other treatments for maternal healthcare?

The BELIEVE IPE Training uses virtual reality (VR) to create realistic simulations for training healthcare professionals in maternal care, offering a unique, immersive learning experience that traditional methods cannot provide. This approach allows for practicing complex skills in a risk-free environment, enhancing both technical and personal aspects of patient care. ^{2 8 9 10 11}

What is the purpose of this trial?

This is a step-wedge design implementation protocol of an interprofessional education curriculum intervention that is delivered through virtual reality and designed to reduce disparities and improve patient experiences in receiving maternal healthcare.

Research Team

Alison Stuebe, MD, MSc

Principal Investigator

University of North Carollina at Chapel Hill

Eligibility Criteria

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

My baby was born before 24 weeks of pregnancy.

Birthing Parent Interview Participants must not be currently incarcerated.

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

Timeline

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

Treatment Details

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.

Participant Groups

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+

References

1. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

PRONTO training for obstetric and neonatal emergencies in Mexico. [2022]

2. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The value of virtual reality-simulator training in the development of laparoscopic surgical skills. [2006]

3. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

The use of a novel sensorized simulation platform for real-time labor progression assessment. [2023]

4. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual Reality Childbirth Education With 360° Videos. [2023]

5. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Framework to Develop an Immersive Virtual Reality Simulation Tool for Postpartum Hemorrhage Management Nurse Training. [2023]

6. Netherlands pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Simulation and beyond - Principles of effective obstetric training. [2022]

7. England pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Teaching childbirth with high-fidelity simulation. Is it better observing the scenario during the briefing session? [2019]

8. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

How virtual reality may enhance training in obstetrics and gynecology. [2019]

9. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Virtual reality: teaching tool of the twenty-first century? [2019]

10. Switzerland pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

A Discussion of Virtual Reality As a New Tool for Training Healthcare Professionals. [2022]

11. United States pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

Intravenous catheter training system: computer-based education versus traditional learning methods. [2022]