A caring-perception model for ethical competence in virtual reality environment.

BackgroundAn ethical foundation for caring involves doing good, alleviating suffering, and treating human beings with dignity and respect. While virtual reality (VR) has primarily been used to develop clinical skills, there is limited research on its use for educating healthcare personnel in ethical competence and the use of VR grounded by ethical concepts and theories. This gap has prompted us to develop a theoretical basis grounded in enhancing the ethical competence of health professionals using VR.AimThe study aimed to develop a caring-perception model for enhancing ethical competence in VR environments for educating healthcare personnel.Method and MaterialThe development of the caring-perception model was fundamentally anchored in theoretical frameworks established by the three caring theorists Eriksson, Martinsen, and Koskinen. Hermeneutic reading was used to interpret selected texts, extracting meaningful fragments to form interpretive patterns, leading to the creation of basic elements for a theoretical model. The caring-perception model was then interpreted in the context of developing ethical competence in a VR environment.ResultsThe caring-perception model consists of six fundamental elements: "I am here," "I see and listen," "I'm affected," "I realize," "I'm responsible," and a synthesis in "ethical bearing and acting." The theory model serves as a robust framework aimed at enhancing healthcare personnel's ethical competence within VR environments.DiscussionVR grounded on a theoretical basis and educational model has the potential to offer unique opportunities to enhance healthcare personnel's ethical competence and to practice ethical decision-making in simulated scenarios, fostering presence, attentiveness, and ethical reflection. Despite challenges such as technical barriers and the need for substantial investment, the potential benefits of using VR for ethical training can promise improved patient outcomes and a more ethically aware healthcare workforce.