Perceived Usability, User Experience, and Technology Acceptance of Role-Specific Augmented Reality Decision Support Tools for Cardiac Arrest Resuscitation: Prospective Observational Pilot Study.

Abstract

Background: Cardiac arrest is a critical medical emergency that requires strict adherence to clinical guidelines to achieve optimal outcomes. Deviations from these guidelines, often due to task complexity, can adversely affect patient outcomes. Augmented reality (AR) offers a way to deliver role-specific, in-view guidance, but evidence on its perceived usability, user experience, and acceptability in cardiac arrest resuscitation remains limited.

Objective: This study aimed to design, develop, and evaluate a role-specific AR decision support system for resuscitation team leaders and medication nurses. In this observational study, we assessed clinicians' perceived usability, user experience, and technology acceptance of the new AR system in a high-fidelity simulated cardiac arrest scenario.

Methods: We conducted a prospective observational pilot study using a high-fidelity simulated pediatric cardiac arrest scenario. A total of 10 clinicians were recruited from Alberta Children's Hospital, including 5 (50%) of 10 pediatric emergency physicians serving as team leaders (men: 3/5, 60%, and women: 2/5, 40%; median age 41, IQR: 40-42 y) and 5 (50%) of 10 emergency nurses serving as medication nurses (men: 1/5, 20%, and women: 4/5, 80%; median age 45, IQR: 42-46 y). Participants used role-specific AR decision support interfaces deployed on HoloLens 2 head-mounted displays. Following the simulation, perceived usability, user experience, and technology acceptance were assessed using validated questionnaires: the System Usability Scale, User Experience Questionnaire, and Technology Acceptance Model. Data were collected via postsimulation surveys and analyzed descriptively.

Results: Descriptive analyses were performed without inferential statistical testing. The mean System Usability Scale scores were 75.5 (SD 9.25, 95% CI 64.0-87.0) for team leaders and 82.0 (SD 11.20, 95% CI 68.0-96.0) for medication nurses. User experience was positive across roles, with mean User Experience Questionnaire scores indicating favorable attractiveness (team leaders: 1.87, SD 1.14, 95% CI 0.45-3.28; medication nurses: 2.43, SD 0.52, 95% CI 1.79-3.08), pragmatic quality (team leaders: 1.88, SD 0.87, 95% CI 0.80-2.97; medication nurses: 1.80, SD 0.69, 95% CI 0.94-2.66), and hedonic quality (team leaders: 2.40, SD 0.89, 95% CI 1.30-3.50; medication nurses: 2.28, SD 0.69, 95% CI 1.42-3.13). Technology acceptance was high, with mean combined Technology Acceptance Model scores of 5.92 (SD 0.46, 95% CI 5.35-6.49) for team leaders and 6.02 (SD 0.56, 95% CI 5.32-6.71) for medication nurses.

Conclusions: This study introduces a novel role-specific AR decision support system that delivers tailored, in-view guidance to resuscitation team leaders and medication nurses during cardiac arrest. Unlike prior cognitive aids that present uniform or device-agnostic information, this system explicitly adapts interface content and structure to distinct clinical roles and workflows. The findings contribute early empirical evidence on the perceived usability, user experience, and acceptability of role-tailored AR support in high-acuity team settings and yield transferable design principles for developing role-aware AR interfaces. In real-world contexts, such systems may support protocol adherence and team coordination during resuscitation training and early-stage clinical deployment, informing future evaluations that incorporate objective performance and workflow outcomes.