Construction of radiation protection training program for nurses using virtual reality

Abstract

There are also risks associated with X-rays as they are a form of radiation and although precautions are taken to protect patients, exposure of radiology personnel can be neglected. Senior Assistant Professor Tomihiko Daioku, from Chubu University, has been working to educate nurses about radiation in the workplace as many nurses may not have important knowledge about radiation and correct radiation protection methods and experience fear and anxiety about exposure. Given that nursing training courses are intensive, opportunities to learn about radiation are limited. Daioku believes it is vital to provide nurses with more education on radiology and equip them to stay safer in the workplace and has been developing an education programme to raise awareness of radiation and precautionary measures that can be taken by nurses. He has been using projection mapping and VR as useful educational tools for understanding the characteristics of invisible radiation, ensuring the teachings are fun and experience-based. As Daioku found that clinical experience was essential in recalling situations within the VR environment, he has been focusing on practising nurses, building a programme based on Kolb's experiential learning model. He has confirmed the efficacy of his teaching materials and wants to determine how to utilise these for nursing students without any clinical experience, with the additional hurdle that they have heavy workloads and therefore little time for lengthy education programmes.