TY - JOUR
T1 - Virtual reality vs. Manikin based training on emergency life saving basic rescue skills
T2 - a summative evaluation
AU - Al Turki, Saud
AU - Skaff, Diana
AU - Mujlli, Gadah
AU - Ozdemir, Burhanettin
AU - Maghraby, Nisreen
AU - Iskandarani, Leenah
AU - Diab, Chady
AU - Ashour, Mohammad Nimnim
AU - Almass, Afnan
AU - Othman, Amal
AU - Alghosen, Abdulmajeed
AU - Alsalamah, Ibrahim
AU - Alotaibi, Maha
AU - Alqahtani, Najd
AU - Alguhaimi, Dua
AU - Al-Dawoud, Adwa Turki
AU - Alobaid, Abdulhakeem
N1 - Publisher Copyright:
© The Author(s) 2025.
PY - 2025/12
Y1 - 2025/12
N2 - Ongoing professional development constitutes an essential and necessary process for healthcare practitioners, thereby ensuring their proficiency and relevance within the field. This quantitative summative program evaluation compared the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) technology versus traditional manikin-based simulation in teaching basic rescue skills to first responders in Saudi Arabia. The study, conducted through the Academy of Sciences (AOS), addressed the growing need for innovative, engaging, and efficient healthcare education methods, particularly in the context of the post-COVID-19 landscape. The research evaluated the “Mongeth” VR program against conventional manikin simulation training, focusing on key rescue skills including CPR, AED usage, stop the bleed, and choking management. Participants (N = 98) were divided into VR (n = 58) and Manikin (n = 40) groups. Performance was assessed using standardized checklists for various rescue skills. Results demonstrated significantly higher performance scores in the VR group for AED usage (p < 0.001), adult choking management (p = 0.009), infant choking management (p = 0.009), and CPR (p < 0.001). Only the Stop the Bleed assessment showed no significant difference between groups (p = 0.096). Through the lens of Social Cognitive Theory, the study revealed that VR training enhanced learner engagement and self-efficacy while reducing time investment. The findings suggest that VR technology provides a more time-efficient and engaging alternative to traditional manikin-based training, with significant improvements in skills like CPR and choking management, particularly beneficial for busy healthcare professionals and community members requiring basic rescue skills certification. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of VR technology in healthcare education and has implications for improving population health through more accessible and effective training methodologies.
AB - Ongoing professional development constitutes an essential and necessary process for healthcare practitioners, thereby ensuring their proficiency and relevance within the field. This quantitative summative program evaluation compared the effectiveness of Virtual Reality (VR) technology versus traditional manikin-based simulation in teaching basic rescue skills to first responders in Saudi Arabia. The study, conducted through the Academy of Sciences (AOS), addressed the growing need for innovative, engaging, and efficient healthcare education methods, particularly in the context of the post-COVID-19 landscape. The research evaluated the “Mongeth” VR program against conventional manikin simulation training, focusing on key rescue skills including CPR, AED usage, stop the bleed, and choking management. Participants (N = 98) were divided into VR (n = 58) and Manikin (n = 40) groups. Performance was assessed using standardized checklists for various rescue skills. Results demonstrated significantly higher performance scores in the VR group for AED usage (p < 0.001), adult choking management (p = 0.009), infant choking management (p = 0.009), and CPR (p < 0.001). Only the Stop the Bleed assessment showed no significant difference between groups (p = 0.096). Through the lens of Social Cognitive Theory, the study revealed that VR training enhanced learner engagement and self-efficacy while reducing time investment. The findings suggest that VR technology provides a more time-efficient and engaging alternative to traditional manikin-based training, with significant improvements in skills like CPR and choking management, particularly beneficial for busy healthcare professionals and community members requiring basic rescue skills certification. This research contributes to the growing body of evidence supporting the integration of VR technology in healthcare education and has implications for improving population health through more accessible and effective training methodologies.
KW - Augmented reality
KW - Evaluative design
KW - First responder
KW - Healthcare education
KW - Manikin based simulation
KW - Population health
KW - Quantitative methods
KW - Summative program evaluation
KW - Survey strategy
KW - Virtual reality
UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105018250052
U2 - 10.1186/s12909-025-07971-5
DO - 10.1186/s12909-025-07971-5
M3 - Article
C2 - 41063225
AN - SCOPUS:105018250052
SN - 1472-6920
VL - 25
JO - BMC Medical Education
JF - BMC Medical Education
IS - 1
M1 - 1375
ER -